Uganda: I Am the Institutional Memory for NRM - Lydia Wanyoto Defends Her Speakership Bid

3 March 2026
Nile Post (Kampala)
By Andrew Victor Naimanye

Mbale City Woman Member of Parliament-elect, Lydia Wanyoto, has emphasized her commitment to party loyalty, constitutionalism, and internal democracy as she addressed her candidature for the Speakership of the 12th Parliament.

Speaking during Sanyuka Morning Xpress on Tuesday,, Wanyoto described herself as "the institutional memory" of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), underscoring her longstanding service and dedication to the party.

"I am the institutional memory of our party. I decided to join the Speakership race because my people in Mbale endorsed me. My people told me I am fit to be Speaker. They sought me out and encouraged me to step forward and represent them in the race," she said.

Wanyoto, who also serves as a member of the NRM's Central Executive Committee (CEC), explained that her decision to participate in the race was grounded in consultation and adherence to established procedures within both the Constitution and party structures.

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"Before coming into this race, I wrote to all Members of Parliament, quoting the Constitution and the party guidelines," she said, signaling her intent to run a campaign anchored in legality and institutional respect.

Addressing questions about party unity and internal competition, Wanyoto reaffirmed her unwavering allegiance to the NRM, even in the face of previous electoral setbacks.

"The NRM party is my party, and I have remained loyal even after losing in the primaries. In our party, we advocate for democracy," she said, adding that competitive processes within the party should be viewed as a strength rather than a source of division.

Wanyoto's remarks come amid heightened political attention surrounding the Speakership contest for the 12th Parliament, widely regarded as one of the most closely watched political developments of the year.

She joins five other contenders seeking to lead the 12th Parliament.

These include the President of the Democratic Party (DP) and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao; as well as incumbent Speaker Anita Annet Among; Persis Namuganza, MP-elect for Bukono County and State Minister for Housing; Masindi District Woman Member of Parliament Dr. Florence Asiimwe Akiiki, and Yorke Odria Alioni, MP for Aringa South County--all affiliated with the ruling National Resistance Movement.

Wanyoto has also previously noted that it has been three decades since a leader from the Bugisu sub-region contested for the Speakership, referencing the late James Wapakhabulo, the country's first Speaker of Parliament.

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