In the latest news, West Budama County South MP and Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Oboth-Oboth, is reportedly being considered for the position of Speaker in Uganda’s forthcoming 12th Parliament, according to some sources within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Oboth-Oboth, who has served as Defence Minister since 2021, has built a strong profile within government and Parliament through his involvement in key legislative reforms, particularly in the defence sector. His supporters within the NRM are said to view him as an experienced legislator capable of steering the next Parliament.
Among the notable laws associated with his tenure at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs is the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill, which Parliament passed into law after extensive debate. The legislation introduced reforms aimed at improving healthcare services for military personnel, strengthening disability compensation for officers and enlisted soldiers, and transferring the Pension Authority from the Ministry of Public Service to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
Before joining Cabinet, Oboth-Oboth chaired Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, where he handled several high-profile legislative matters. He played a central role in processing the controversial 2017 constitutional amendment that removed the presidential age limits.
The amendment eliminated both the upper age limit of 75 years and the lower age limit of 35 years for presidential candidates, paving the way for President Yoweri Museveni to seek re-election in subsequent polls.
Under Article 82 of Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by Members of Parliament from among themselves after newly elected legislators take oath following gazettement by the Electoral Commission.
Sources within Parliament indicate that discussions are ongoing within the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) regarding the possibility of backing Oboth-Oboth for the influential Speaker’s seat, a position that shapes parliamentary business and national legislative direction.
If endorsed by the ruling party, Oboth-Oboth would enter the race with significant political backing and years of parliamentary experience, factors observers say could strengthen his chances in the upcoming vote.
Chief Of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Keinerugaba has also endorsed him according to latest tweets…Let’s wait for how this will unfold.
