By Aggrey Baba
Pressure is politically piling up on iron lady Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa after Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) officially withdrew its endorsement of the two, in a move likely to see them out of speakership for the 12th Parliament.
The decision, announced in a May 12, 2026 letter signed by PLU Secretary General (SG) David Kabanda, comes at a time when Among is already facing growing resistance from within the yellow camp and outside, with opposition political figures, especially Democratic Party (DP) leader Norbert Mao emerging as the strongest person so far openly interested in the Speakership race.
For months, tensions between Mao and Among have been growing, with the two being involved in heated exchanges over the future leadership of Parliament.
Now, the withdrawal of support by Gen. Muhoozi has added more uncertainty to Among and Tayebwa’s political future.
In the letter, PLU cancelled its earlier endorsement of Among and Tayebwa which had been issued on March 11, 2026, and instead directed all PLU-leaning MPs to support candidates that will officially be presented by the NRM or President Yoweri Museveni, making it visibly transparent that powerful forces within Museveni’s universe may no longer be comfortable with Among and Tayebwa’s leadership.
The development also comes at a time when Museveni has intensified his public criticism against corruption in Parliament. While speaking during the recent Kyankwanzi retreat, he openly condemned rampant corruption in the House, which is headed by Among.
At the same time, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has built his image as a strong anti-corruption crusader, making the PLU decision appear even more significant.
Sources within NRM circles say there is now increasing discussion about fronting new faces for both Speaker and Deputy Speaker. One of the names being heavily mentioned is Bukono County MP Persis Namuganza.
Although Namuganza has shown interest in the Speakership, sources say the NRM is more likely to consider her for Deputy Speaker, and back Mao for Speakership.
Her rise would be politically interesting because she recently fell out with the ruling party during the NRM primaries where she lost the party ticket.
At the time, Namuganza accused Anita Among of being behind the alleged election malpractice that led to her defeat.
Despite losing the yellow flag, Namuganza contested as an independent candidate and still won the January 15, 2026 general elections.
Sources say that despite standing as an independent, Namuganza remains deeply connected to the NRM because she is a long-time cadre who grew up in the movement, a background said to be working in her favour as the yellow bus owner reportedly considers possible changes in Parliament leadership.
If the NRM finally decides to front different candidates, it would mark a major political fall for both Among and Tayebwa, as the two would become some of the shortest-serving leaders of the August House in decades.
Traditionally, the NRM has maintained a system where a Speaker serves for around ten years before the deputy takes over and also serves another long term.
Among herself became Speaker after the death of Jacob Oulanyah in March 2022, having served as his deputy, and Tayebwa was later elected Deputy Speaker under her leadership.
But now, with the Laroo-Pece MP pushing hard, Museveni publicly attacking corruption in Parliament, and Muhoozi’s PLU withdrawing support, the future of Among and Tayebwa appears more uncertain than ever before.(For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
