The Democratic Party President General and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, has revealed that the death of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah led Uganda into an “accidental Speaker of Parliament.”

Mao is the MP-elect for Laroo Pece Division, Gulu City.

Mao made the remarks shortly after announcing his intention to contest for Speaker of Parliament seat at the DP headquarters in Kampala, casting the coming race as a defining moment for Parliament.

“Unfortunately, we lost the late Jacob Oulanyah. So we got an accidental Speaker. Yes, because nobody plans for death. It was not supposed to be that way, but now there’s an opportunity,” Mao said.

The bully Nobert Mao must be directly sending this description to the current Speaker, Anita Among who was recently seen with President Museveni at Kisozi farm seeking for an endorsement from the “old man with the hat” but the efforts went futile.

He said his decision followed what he termed an outpouring of goodwill from across the country urging him to step forward.

“The prospect of Norbert Mao becoming Speaker of Parliament has energized the whole country, and the whole country believes that we are getting a safety net in these five years that are critical, of having a hand that can be trusted, with a record of working with all sorts of people,” he said.

Mao invoked his personal friendship with Oulanyah and suggested he would not forgive himself if he stayed out of the race.

“At a very personal level, I wonder what my friend Jacob Oulanyah would tell me if I met him on the other side of life, and he says, ‘Mao, I left you behind. You have seen what is happening, and you did nothing?’” he said, drawing laughter from supporters.

Oulanyah, who served as Speaker of the 11th Parliament, died in March 2022 while receiving treatment in the United States. The government announced that he succumbed to illness. However, his father publicly claimed that the former Speaker had told him he was poisoned, remarks that stirred debate at the time. Mao has previously referenced those claims while reflecting on the circumstances surrounding his friend’s death.

Mao’s declaration sets up a direct contest with the incumbent Speaker, Anita Among, whose leadership has faced criticism from sections of the political class. During the last term, tension rose in Parliament after President Yoweri Museveni accused Members of Parliament of corruption, a matter that triggered heated exchanges when attempts were made to debate the issue on the floor.

The Aringa South MP, Alion Yorke Odria has also declared that he will contest, dismissing claims that the party’s Central Executive Committee cleared Among and her deputy to run unopposed.

Addressing journalists in Kampala, Odria said reports of ringfencing candidates were unfounded.

“We as members of parliament, especially from the NRM party, we must know that our party may have its constitution, but there is rumour moving around that some candidates yet to be nominated have been endorsed by the NRM party. They have been ringfenced by the CEC. That is a big rumour,” Odria said.

“I must tell Ugandans, I must tell Africa and the world that the law is not going to be taken and be played with by a few individuals in the NRM party. I raise this as the constitution as one of the tools, the biggest tool that I’m going to use to execute my duties.”

He called on President Museveni who chairs the NRM to pronounce himself clearly on the matter.

“Any decision taken without our consent shall be null and void. Therefore, we are sending a message to the chairman, the President, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to come out clearly and confirm what is meant by endorsing, ringfencing some few candidates and leaving out others who are the pillars of this party. We are the pillars,” Odria said.

Other contenders in the Speaker’s seat include State Minister Persis Namuganza and incoming Mbale City Woman representative, Lydia Wanyoto.

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Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has formally declared his candidacy for Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament, setting up a direct contest with incumbent Speaker Anita Among.

Mao announced his decision while outlining the constitutional and moral threshold required to lead the House.

“Even the rules say briefly about the qualifications of the candidate. Now, the only major qualification for Speaker is that you are a Member of Parliament. So all those who have been elected to the Twelfth Parliament are possible candidates, just like all the cardinals in a conclave are possible candidates to be pope,” Mao said.

He stressed that the office demands more than eligibility.

“Your proposer has to talk about your record, and your record means your journey. I’m not a new person in the politics of Uganda. Everything about me, the good, the bad and the ugly, is out there in the public view,” he said.

Tracing his leadership journey, Mao added, “From my time as a head prefect in Nabwyaango College, having arrived from a village, my life has been about leadership and service.”

Mao’s entry into the race brings a seasoned political figure into direct competition with Anita Among, who has presided over the 11th Parliament and remains a central figure in the House.

The contest is also drawing other prominent names. State Minister for Lands Persis Namuganza has publicly expressed interest in the seat, while former legislator and diplomat Lydia Wanyoto is among those linked to the race.

The battle for Speaker of the 12th Parliament is firmly underway.

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The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ramathan Ggoobi has directed all Accounting Officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies not to sign contracts or Memoranda of Understanding with development partners on governance-related projects without prior authorisation from Cabinet.

The directive is contained in the Second Budget Call Circular on the finalisation of Ministerial Policy Statements and detailed estimates of revenue and expenditure for the Financial Year 2026/27, issued on 13 February 2026. Ggoobi noted that the guidance is in line with Cabinet Minute 164 (CT 2025).

“As you finalize your budgets for FY2026/27, you are directed NOT to enter into agreements or Memoranda of Understanding with Development Partners on governance issues without prior clearance from Cabinet,” Ggoobi wrote.

He warned that any financing proposals from development partners on governance matters will now be subjected to a consultative process involving the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“Strict adherence is required, and any deviations will be considered a breach of Cabinet directive,” he emphasised.

The move aims to tighten central oversight over externally funded governance programmes, an area that has often attracted significant donor financing and policy sensitivities.

At the same time, the Ministry of Finance unveiled the revision of the national budget for FY2026/27. The resource envelope is now projected at Shs78.249 trillion, reflecting an increase of Shs8.85 trillion from the Shs69.399 trillion initially communicated in the First Budget Call Circular.

“In line with the above adjustments, all Accounting Officers are requested to revise their budget estimates as per the current Indicative Planning Figures. These are hard ceilings with no post-submission negotiations,” Ggoobi said.

“You are required to exercise allocation efficiency to achieve maximum impact through efficient and strategic allocation of resources,” he added, underscoring government’s renewed focus on fiscal discipline.

The Secretary to the Treasury also revealed that since 1 July 2021, the government has injected the Shs3.788 trillion into the Parish Development Model, capitalising 10,589 eligible PDM SACCOs across the country.

“Since 1st July 2021, Government has capitalized 10,589 eligible PDM SACCOs to a tune of UGX3.788 trillion and is now in the Sustainability and Acceleration Phase, to be undertaken on a village-by-village basis,” he said.

According to Ggoobi, all Local Government Accounting Officers must fully budget for activities under the Sustainability and Acceleration Phase of the Parish Development Model through the Extension, Production and Marketing grants.

“The activities for the compilation of the SPEAR report and development of Parish Action Plans should be budgeted and funded through the Discretionary Development Equalization Grant,” he added.

In another directive, Ggoobi ordered all MDAs and Local Governments to obtain clearance from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance before procuring ICT-related goods and services. The requirement follows the establishment of the Governmental Digital Registry, a central system profiling all government digital assets.

“This registry enables real-time visibility of existing digital systems across Government and identifies areas of potential duplication or inefficiency,” he said.

“Accordingly, all MDAs and LGs are required to seek and obtain clearance and approval from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance prior to including any budget provisions for new digital systems, ICT infrastructure upgrades, software applications, or digital transformation initiatives in their annual budget submissions,”he added.

The Ministry of Finance further signalled that the 2026/27 budget will prioritise cleaning up public expenditure management and enforcing execution discipline, with plans to punish and reward Accounting Officers based on performance.

The circular introduces an Accounting Officers’ Budget Discipline Charter aimed at tightening control over public funds.

“It demands fiscal discipline, adherence to work plans, timely budget submission and robust internal controls. It also emphasises personal accountability by Accounting Officers to Parliament for ensuring proper use of money, with penalties for non-compliance such as failure to implement Auditor General’s recommendations or mismanagement of funds,”the circular reads in part.

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