Kampala — The opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) has officially nominated Paul Mwiru as its candidate for Speaker of Uganda's 12th Parliament, setting the stage for a highly contested leadership vote ahead of the new Parliament's opening on May 25.
In a statement issued after a meeting of the party's top leadership and the newly sworn-in parliamentary caucus, NUP said it was seeking to restore Parliament's independence and institutional autonomy, which it argues has been eroded by increasing military influence in partisan politics.
"This morning, our top leadership interfaced with the 12th parliamentary caucus and had constructive engagements concerning our alternative vision," the party said in the statement shared on X.
"As the NUP, we believe that Parliament needs to regain its autonomy, which is not the case at the moment. There is no way a serving army officer should engage in partisan politics and endorse individuals to occupy parliamentary leadership."
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The statement appeared to reference recent endorsements by Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba and the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), which publicly backed Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth for Speaker and Thomas Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker.
The endorsements have significantly reshaped the Speakership contest, especially within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), where Oboth-Oboth has emerged as the apparent establishment-backed candidate following the withdrawal of outgoing Speaker Anita Annet Among from the race.
According to recent parliamentary and electoral analyses, the NRM enters the 12th Parliament with an overwhelming majority of about 372 MPs, while independents account for about 68 seats. NUP remains the leading opposition force with approximately 49 MPs, followed by UPC, FDC, DP and other smaller parties.
The numerical advantage gives the NRM a strong grip on the outcome of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker elections, although opposition parties are expected to use the contest to push broader arguments about parliamentary independence and accountability.
NUP said it would engage "like-minded political parties" to agree on a joint opposition candidate for Deputy Speaker in an attempt to build a united front within the opposition benches.
The emergence of Paul Mwiru adds a familiar opposition figure to the race. Mwiru, a lawyer and long-serving legislator representing Jinja South East, first entered Parliament under the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) before later joining NUP. He has built a reputation as a vocal debater on constitutionalism, governance and human rights issues and has previously challenged several government positions on the floor of Parliament and in court.
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Meanwhile, Norbert Mao, the president general of the Democratic Party (DP), has maintained interest in the Speakership race despite the shifting political dynamics and the growing support behind Oboth-Oboth.
Mao argues that Parliament should remain an independent institution capable of balancing the Executive, even as political observers increasingly view the NRM numbers as decisive in the coming vote. Analysts, however, note that with DP commanding only a small parliamentary bloc, Mao's path to the Speakership appears increasingly difficult unless he secures support from sections of the ruling party and independents.
The 12th Parliament officially begins business on May 25 with the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, according to the Order Paper released on Monday.
