Delegates of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) from Mbarara District and Mbarara City have declared their support for Speaker of Parliament Anita Among in her bid to become the party's 2nd National Vice Chairperson (Female), a position currently held by Minister for East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga.
The endorsement was made during a meeting in Mbarara where Speaker Among held discussions with local NRM leaders and delegates about the implementation and monitoring of government programmes.
The gathering served both as a consultative forum and a rallying point for her candidacy, despite the party's electoral roadmap and official nominations still being in the early stages.
In her address, Among urged NRM grassroots leaders to take an active role in ensuring that government initiatives are properly implemented.
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She warned against complacency and called for vigilance in service delivery.
"This is not the time to relax," she said. "Your role as leaders is not only to represent the people but to ensure that every programme intended for them is felt on the ground."
Among also underlined the importance of the recently elected NRM structures in fostering accountability and transparency, arguing that leadership must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
Delegates at the meeting responded with strong expressions of support. Many praised her leadership style and her hands-on approach as Speaker of Parliament, saying it had inspired confidence among both women and the broader party membership.
"We are behind Speaker Among. Her leadership gives us confidence that our voice as women and as party members will continue to grow stronger within the NRM," said one female delegate.
The endorsement adds to a growing list of early backers for Among in the western region, signalling potential grassroots momentum ahead of the party's internal elections.
It also sets the stage for a high-profile contest with Rebecca Kadaga, who has already declared her intention to retain the seat she has held since 2021.
Kadaga, a former Speaker of Parliament herself, is expected to mount a vigorous campaign to defend her position on the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Her tenure as 2nd National Vice Chairperson has seen her play a significant role in NRM's policy coordination and regional political mobilisation, especially in Busoga and other eastern sub-regions.
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Among's entry into the race introduces a competitive dynamic within the ruling party's women leadership ranks. Her candidacy draws strength from her current position at the helm of Parliament and her increasingly visible presence at local party events, particularly in western Uganda.
While neither candidate has formally launched a campaign, the early endorsements reflect deepening political alignments as NRM prepares for its internal elections.
The contest is expected to test loyalties within the party's rank and file, and may also reflect broader generational and regional balances within the CEC.
Speaker Among's message in Mbarara was as much about political strategy as it was about governance: aligning the party's internal structures with national service delivery priorities.
"This leadership is not about titles--it's about impact," she told the delegates. "We must be the link between government and the people, and ensure no one is left behind."
The NRM electoral commission is yet to release official nomination dates, but as the race for CEC positions gains momentum, all eyes will be on how the contest between Among and Kadaga unfolds--and what it reveals about the party's evolving internal dynamics.
