Parliament has officially set May 25, 2026 as the date for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament, setting the stage for an intense political contest among top contenders.
The announcement was made by Peter Odeke from the Office of the Clerk to Parliament during the ongoing swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Members of Parliament, which started on Wednesday, May 13 and will end on Friday, May 15.
Odeke said the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will mark the beginning of official business for the 12th Parliament.
“After the swearing in of Members of Parliament, the first business shall be conducted on May 25 when they shall elect their Speaker and Deputy Speaker,” Odeke said.
The announcement has further intensified the race for the top parliamentary positions, with political camps actively lobbying support ahead of the vote.
The biggest contest for the Speakership is expected between the incumbent Speaker, Anita Annet Among, and the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao.
Other aspirants in the Speakership race include Lydia Wanyoto, Persis Namuganza, and Florence Asiimwe Akiiki.
For the Deputy Speakership, the current Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa is among the leading contenders alongside Idd Basajjabalaba and others.
The Speakership race has already generated heated exchanges, particularly between Among and Mao, with both camps trading accusations and political attacks as they seek support from legislators and the public.
The contest has also attracted widespread debate on social media, with politicians and supporters openly taking sides.
Earlier this year, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee endorsed Among and Tayebwa for the same positions, a move that sparked mixed reactions among party supporters.
In March, the Patriotic League of Uganda, a group linked to the Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, also endorsed the duo.
However, on May 12, the group withdrew its endorsement, saying it would instead support whoever is backed by President Yoweri Museveni.
