Norbert Mao has requested Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to support his bid to become Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament and urged that his name be considered through the ruling party’s internal selection process.
In a letter dated May 19, 2026 and addressed to the President at State House Entebbe, Mao said he was officially presenting himself as a candidate for the position and requested an urgent meeting with Museveni to discuss his candidature.
“As MP for Laroo-Pece, a seat I campaigned for successfully with your support and also as leader of the Democratic Party which is an ally of the National Resistance Movement, I request your support for my candidature,” Mao wrote.
The Democratic Party president argued that the selection of the Speaker should follow an organised process beginning within the structures of the National Resistance Movement before proceeding to Parliament.
He asked that his candidature be allowed to go before the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) and later the NRM Parliamentary Caucus together with other aspirants interested in the position.
“In particular I request your indulgence in the Spirit of 1986 and the NRM-DP Cooperation to allow my candidature to be considered by the NRM Central Executive Committee and the NRM Parliamentary Caucus alongside that of the other candidates who have expressed interest,”Mao stated.
According to Mao, the caucus process should serve as a test of political support among legislators before Parliament conducts the final vote.
“A proper ranking of the strength of each candidate by the Caucus will be a clear indication of the support each candidate enjoys and the candidate most highly rated will then be the one to face the full Parliament. I pledge to abide by the decision of the Caucus,” he wrote.
Explaining his position publicly, Mao said the request was informed by President Museveni’s earlier guidance at Kyankwanzi that while the NRM Central Executive Committee has the responsibility to recommend candidates, the ultimate decision on who becomes Speaker rests with Members of Parliament, the majority of whom belong to the ruling party.
Mao maintained that because of that numerical advantage, the decision of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus would effectively shape the outcome before the matter reaches the floor of Parliament.
The DP leader further rooted his appeal in what he described as the “Spirit of 1986” — the historical cooperation between the Democratic Party and the NRM during Uganda’s political transition period.
He argued that the relationship between the two political formations should evolve beyond cooperation into a more structured political arrangement.
“The Spirit of 1986 did not evolve. It failed to break the political mold that ushered in our chaotic post-independence politics. We have an opportunity to break the mold that scatters our energies. A dynamic cooperation can evolve into an alliance, a coalition and eventually a merger,” Mao said.
Mao added that Uganda’s future depends on political actors moving beyond traditional divisions, saying some leaders are prepared to challenge long-standing conventions in pursuit of a new political order.
