Mao Seeks Museveni Audience Ahead of Crucial CEC Meeting

Norbert Mao, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, is seeking President Yoweri Museveni’s clearance to attend the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026, ahead of key party decisions on parliamentary leadership. The highly anticipated CEC meeting is expected to play a decisive role in determining NRM’s preferred candidates for the top parliamentary leadership positions ahead of the new legislative term.

Mao, who also serves as president of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament for the Laroo-Pece Division, is among the contenders eyeing the influential Speaker of Parliament position. Speculation had recently emerged suggesting that Mao had withdrawn from the race. However, Mao and his former campaign manager and current constituency manager, George Aligec, have since dismissed the claims.

“Mao is still in the race for the speakership and under the cooperation agreement, Mao is still working hand in hand with NRM, and we expect that cooperation to continue,” Aligec told media on Wednesday. Aligec revealed that Mao has already formally requested an audience with Museveni and is awaiting clearance to enable him to present his case before the NRM’s top decision-making organ.

“That request has already been placed with the president. He is waiting for the green light, then he’ll be part of the meeting,” Aligec said. According to Aligec, Mao hopes to personally convince CEC members why he believes he is best suited to lead Parliament. “If the party chairperson sees that it is prudent for him to meet, then he can be able to tell the Central Executive Committee members why he feels it is important for him and the country to have a Speaker like him and his views towards the country,” he added.

However, Richard Todwong, the NRM Secretary General, said the CEC meeting is strictly reserved for top party members, noting that Mao belongs to a different political party. Todwong said Mao’s attendance can only be sanctioned by the NRM national chairperson, adding that no official communication had yet been made regarding his participation.

“He is not a CEC member; he cannot attend the CEC meeting. That meeting is specifically for CEC members unless the national chairman finds it necessary for him to attend as a guest of CEC. If that happens, it will be communicated to us, but it hasn’t been communicated yet,” Todwong said. On the question of candidates already endorsed by the ruling party, Todwong revealed that the NRM had initially recommended two candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, although he declined to disclose their identities. He noted that recent political developments had prompted a fresh review ahead of Friday’s meeting. 

“Initially, we recommended two, for the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. But now, in view of the current developments, there is a CEC meeting on Friday to see whether we should review that. CEC will decide on what to do next,” Todwong said. He further clarified that the cooperation agreement between the NRM and the Democratic Party does not provide for the sharing of party positions, but rather focuses on policy support and governance cooperation. According to Todwong, Mao is currently lobbying for NRM backing and should formally communicate his interest to the party leadership.

“He is trying to lobby for NRM support, but that is not my decision. The decision is for the party to make. So, he should express himself in writing, officially, to the NRM party, and maybe then the party can discuss the interest,” he added. Last month, Mao became the first opposition politician to attend the NRM National Delegates Conference at Kyankwanzi after receiving an invitation from President Museveni. However, Todwong said Mao’s attendance at the event was facilitated in his capacity as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs rather than as a member of the Democratic Party.

A week ago, the CEC had maintained former Speaker Anita Annet Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa as the ruling party’s preferred candidates for both positions. However, Among pulled out of the race on Monday following major investigations into alleged enrichment and abuse of office, said to have been sanctioned by President Museveni.
The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political pressure group affiliated with Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, recently endorsed Defence Minister Jacob Oboth-Oboth for Speaker and Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker ahead of the May 25 Speaker election.