Da Dona
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- Dec 16, 2025
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Uganda’s 12th Parliament has opened with a major leadership transition after Jacob Marksons Oboth- Oboth was elected Speaker and Thomas Tayebwa retained as Deputy Speaker during the inaugural sitting held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Monday, May 25, 2026.
📸: Courtesy picture: Daily Monitor UG
Oboth secured a commanding 441 votes to defeat Paul Mwiru and Norbert Mao in a contest that many viewed as more than just a parliamentary election, but a significant political reset for the institution.
His election comes after months of intense public scrutiny surrounding former Speaker Anita Among, whose leadership became overshadowed by allegations of corruption, illicit wealth accumulation, abuse of office, and money laundering. The controversies sparked growing pressure for Parliament to rebuild public trust and restore its image.
Political observers say Oboth emerged as the preferred consensus candidate within the ruling establishment because of his legal background, parliamentary experience, and relatively calm leadership style. Before becoming Speaker, he served as the Member of Parliament for West Budama Central in Tororo District and State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs.
In his first remarks as Speaker, Oboth pledged servant leadership and unity within the House.
“The Speaker’s chair is not a throne, it is a servant post.”
He also emphasized that Parliament must work together to ensure that the voices of more than 48 million Ugandans are “heard, protected, and respected.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Tayebwa was re-elected Deputy Speaker after securing a landslide 457 votes, cementing his position as one of the National Resistance Movement’s most influential young political figures.
It will now be Tayebwa’s second term as Deputy Speaker after first assuming the office in 2022 following the death of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah and Anita Among’s elevation to Speaker.
Tayebwa’s retention was widely seen as a move aimed at maintaining continuity and stability within Parliament during a politically sensitive transition period. Over the past years, he has built a reputation as an effective manager of parliamentary business while strengthening his profile both locally and internationally.
Together, the Oboth-Tayebwa leadership now takes charge of Parliament at a time when the institution faces mounting calls for accountability, transparency, and institutional reform, signaling what many are calling the beginning of a new era in Uganda’s parliamentary politics.
Oboth secured a commanding 441 votes to defeat Paul Mwiru and Norbert Mao in a contest that many viewed as more than just a parliamentary election, but a significant political reset for the institution.
His election comes after months of intense public scrutiny surrounding former Speaker Anita Among, whose leadership became overshadowed by allegations of corruption, illicit wealth accumulation, abuse of office, and money laundering. The controversies sparked growing pressure for Parliament to rebuild public trust and restore its image.
Political observers say Oboth emerged as the preferred consensus candidate within the ruling establishment because of his legal background, parliamentary experience, and relatively calm leadership style. Before becoming Speaker, he served as the Member of Parliament for West Budama Central in Tororo District and State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs.
In his first remarks as Speaker, Oboth pledged servant leadership and unity within the House.
“The Speaker’s chair is not a throne, it is a servant post.”
He also emphasized that Parliament must work together to ensure that the voices of more than 48 million Ugandans are “heard, protected, and respected.”
Meanwhile, Thomas Tayebwa was re-elected Deputy Speaker after securing a landslide 457 votes, cementing his position as one of the National Resistance Movement’s most influential young political figures.
It will now be Tayebwa’s second term as Deputy Speaker after first assuming the office in 2022 following the death of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah and Anita Among’s elevation to Speaker.
Tayebwa’s retention was widely seen as a move aimed at maintaining continuity and stability within Parliament during a politically sensitive transition period. Over the past years, he has built a reputation as an effective manager of parliamentary business while strengthening his profile both locally and internationally.
Together, the Oboth-Tayebwa leadership now takes charge of Parliament at a time when the institution faces mounting calls for accountability, transparency, and institutional reform, signaling what many are calling the beginning of a new era in Uganda’s parliamentary politics.
