In a strongly worded message posted on his X platform, Muhoozi showered Oboth-Oboth with praise, describing him as the best-performing minister in government over the last five years and openly declaring support for his Speakership bid.
The battle for the Speakership of Uganda’s 12th Parliament has taken a dramatic and potentially decisive turn after Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly endorsed West Budama Central MP Jackson Oboth-Oboth for the top parliamentary seat, a move that has sent shockwaves through the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and left Speaker Anita Among’s political future hanging in the balance.
With the May 25, 2026 election for parliamentary leadership fast approaching, Muhoozi’s endorsement is being interpreted by many within political circles as a powerful signal capable of reshaping the race and weakening Among’s hold on the position she has occupied since 2022.
In a strongly worded message posted on his X platform, Muhoozi showered Oboth-Oboth with praise, describing him as the best-performing minister in government over the last five years and openly declaring support for his Speakership bid.
“He has been the best Minister in our government for the past 5 years. I want to be the first to endorse him for Speaker of Parliament (2026-2031). God bless Hon. Oboth-Oboth!” Muhoozi posted.
The endorsement immediately triggered intense debate within the NRM, with analysts and party insiders viewing it as a major political setback for Anita Among, who had earlier secured backing from the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC).
For months, Among had appeared firmly in control of the race after receiving endorsement from top party structures. However, Muhoozi’s latest intervention has dramatically altered the political mood, with some legislators now reportedly reconsidering their positions amid fears of going against the wishes of one of the most influential figures in the country’s power structure.
Muhoozi also used the same message to endorse Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa for another term, describing him as “a very good man” and “my younger brother.”
“Hon. Tayebwa is a very good man. He is my younger brother. He has no problems. He is protected,” he wrote.
The latest development comes only days after the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political movement associated with Muhoozi, withdrew its earlier support for Anita Among and Tayebwa.
On May 12, PLU announced it would instead rally behind candidates endorsed by President Yoweri Museveni, a statement many interpreted as a distancing move from Among’s camp.
Now, with Muhoozi personally fronting Oboth-Oboth, speculation is growing that powerful forces within the establishment may be quietly shifting away from the incumbent Speaker.
Although it remains unclear whether Muhoozi’s endorsement reflects President Museveni’s final position, the announcement has undoubtedly injected fresh uncertainty into the race and intensified pressure on Among.
Oboth-Oboth now joins a crowded field of figures linked to the Speakership contest, including Norbert Mao, Persis Namuganza, Florence Asiimwe Akiiki, Lydia Wanyoto, and Anita Among herself.
But political observers say the central question is no longer who is joining the race — it is whether Anita Among can politically survive it.
If the NRM leadership ultimately declines to officially front her, analysts believe her path back to the Speaker’s chair could become extremely difficult, especially in the face of growing internal divisions and shifting alliances within the ruling party.
As the countdown to May 25 enters its final stretch, all eyes are now on President Museveni and the NRM’s top decision-making organs, whose final word could either revive Among’s hopes or bring her Speakership ambitions to a painful end.
