Retired Lieutenant General and Rukungiri Municipality MP, Henry Tumukunde has been nominated for Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament after formally submitting his expression of interest to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission.
Tumukunde was nominated today (Saturday), becoming one of the latest senior figures within the ruling party to seek a top parliamentary leadership position ahead of the constitution of the next Parliament.
Speaking shortly after his nomination, Tumukunde expressed confidence in his ability and experience to effectively manage parliamentary business.
“I have checked myself. I’m not only qualified but able, and seasoned enough to run this business without any difficulty,”Tumukunde said.
In his official communication after submitting the nomination papers, Tumukunde said his bid was driven by his continued commitment to public service and strengthening parliamentary leadership.
“This afternoon, I formally submitted my expression of interest to the NRM Electoral Commission for the office of Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda. I remain committed to serving with diligence and dedication to the people and Parliament of Uganda,” he stated.
NRM Electoral Commission chairperson, Tanga Odoi welcomed Tumukunde’s entry into the contest and described him as one of the major contenders seeking to transition from military and political leadership into parliamentary administration.
“This is a very big fish. After liberating Uganda he wants to be in our ocean, Parliament,”Odoi said.
Tumukunde’s nomination comes at a time when competition for parliamentary leadership positions within the ruling party continues to gather momentum.
At the same event, outgoing Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth-Oboth formally submitted his expression of interest to contest for the position of Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda under the NRM ticket.
However, Oboth-Oboth declined to outline his campaign approach, citing party restrictions.
“I can’t promise anything right now given the guidelines against campaigns, we need to be strategically patient,” he said.
Meanwhile, Odoi used the occasion to clarify public debate surrounding the involvement of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) in influencing the selection of parliamentary leaders.
He stressed that PLU has no formal authority over NRM’s internal electoral processes.
“PLU is not a political party and therefore holds no decision making power over the NRM. While its members are free to endorse any candidate, they cannot impose their preferences on the ruling party,”Odoi said.
He emphasized that the NRM will strictly follow its official internal procedures in selecting candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
