By Mulengera Reporters
As MPs voted the new Speaker of Parliament, one of them indicated ‘Oboth-Tayebwa’ and the Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, who presided over the exercise at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, declared that an invalid vote.
This displeased President Museveni, who in a subsequent speech, protested this apparent voter suppression because, in his view, that voter’s intention was very clear.
Museveni asserted that that vote was clearly Jacob Oboth-Oboth’s, the eventual winner who was declared with 441-beating Norbert Mao (15 votes) and UPC’s Sarah Aguti (14). The President observed that this is how his votes have always been diminished because of such vote suppression by presiding officers. He laid claim to the roughly 500,000 votes that were declared invalid during 15th January 2026 elections.
In a sarcastic fashion, Museveni laid claim to the 29 votes Mao and Aguti shared-making it clear the two parties (UPC & DP) are still his good allies in governing. The complementary comments he made about Mao betrayed the fact that the NRM Chairman wasn’t angry about the Laro-Pece MP’s decision to exercise his right to stand against Oboth who was the ruling NRM candidate. He promised to reach out to both Mao and Akena with a view of once again finding common ground and working together going forward on the governance and legislative agenda.
Museveni also claimed to have good allies in the opposition MPs’ caucus which is why his Oboth and Tayebwa scored 441 and 457 votes respectively in a house where his NRM party has only 372 MPs.
In what amounted to reading out the riot Act, Museveni promised to fire Ministers whose native villages and parishes will be found to still have people languishing in poverty yet hundreds of billions have been made available per parish under the PDM intervention. He said he was tired and done with being polite with such floppy Ministers.
This attracted noticeable applause from people seated on the front bench such as outgoing VP Jessica Alupo, PM Robinah Nabanja and others.
Both Oboth and Tayebwa thanked the President for his support and the MPs for the votes. Oboth promised to be deliberate about ending corruption and also having a mutually respectful relationship with the media because he doesn’t intend to have anything to hide as he leads the legislative arm of government.
He also promised exemplary leadership, making it clear there is no way MPs can enforce accountability and oversight role over the executive and government MDAs when they themselves are involved in corruption deals.
The new Speaker also promised to treat members of the opposition courteously and with respect because they too represent Ugandans. Tayebwa commended the PLU boss Gen MK, implying he wouldn’t be Deputy Speaker without his endorsement.
There was plenty of banter moments as well including attempts by new Kalungu East MP Yusuf Nkeretanyi to shine on the first day by proposing and nominating the Mawogola North new MP Aine Kaguta Sodo (also H.E. Museveni’s brother) for the position of Deputy Speaker. However, the nomination collapsed when there was no seconder.
Masaka City’s Justin Namere also tried to publicize her presence by seeking to block the nomination of PFF’s Asinasio Nakato for Deputy Speaker on grounds that it hadn’t been done properly. But Oboth-Oboth, determined to always be the adult in the room unlike his predecessor Anita Among (who was always eager to exhibit her loyalty to the NRM), disregarded Namere’s objection and effort to exaggerate her knowledge of the rules.
