GULU .Justice Minister and also newly elected Laroo-Pece Division Member of Parliament Norbert Mao has said he is considering his next political move amid growing requests for him to contest for the position of Speaker of Parliament
Mao, 58 who is reentering Parliament after serving as Gulu Municipality MP in the 7th Parliament says he has received encouragement from constituents and political allies urging him to join the Speaker race, but stresses that he is taking a cautious, step-by-step approach.
“I prefer to deal with one challenge at a time,” Mao said during a post-election media briefing at his Tegot Farm residence in Unyama sub-county, Gulu district.
He added that while he has secured the Laroo-Pece parliamentary seat, he has not yet made a formal decision about seeking the coveted Speakership office .
Addressing speculation surrounding his intentions, Mao urged current Speaker Annet Anita Among not to be distracted by rumours, saying he would publicly declare his intentions should he decide to run.
Mao attributed his victory to targeted campaign messaging, particularly his emphasis on the Juba Peace Agreement between the Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
He criticised the government for failing to fully implement key resolutions of the agreement, noting that many residents of Laroo-Pece and Acholi continue to grapple with the long-term effects of the conflict.
Mao said his engagement with war-affected communities helped him secure strong local support.
During the campaign, Mao also highlighted social and economic challenges facing his constituents, including exploitative money-lending practices in which residents surrender national identity cards as collateral for loans.
The current Democratic Party president pledged to lead efforts to recover confiscated identity cards from lenders.
Political trajectory
Reflecting on his political trajectory, Mao acknowledged that his decision to contest the Laroo-Pece seat surprised many, including Simon Opoka, who had initially been endorsed as the DP flag-bearer.
Despite earlier assurances that he would not stand, Mao ultimately took the party ticket, underscoring his reputation for unexpected political moves.
On DP’s co-operation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Mao accused the NRM of failing to honour key commitments.
He said the agreement provided for the appointment of DP members to government positions, a provision he claims has largely been ignored.
Mao argued that in constituencies where NRM candidates are weak, DP candidates should be supported, adding that the co-operation arrangement is often perceived as a personal pact between himself and President Yoweri Museveni rather than a broad coalition framework.
He further noted the uncertainty of political appointments, observing that ministerial positions depend on presidential discretion and reappointment.
Despite serving in the Cabinet, Mao said he has not abandoned his long-term ambition of leading Uganda.
He called for a peaceful transition of power and advocated for reforms to strengthen local government autonomy, criticising excessive central government control over locally generated revenue.
Mao also reiterated his call for the reinstatement of presidential term limits, arguing that removing the two-term cap was a grave mistake. “No citizen should have to endure a president for more than ten years,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prof. Ogenga Otunnu, the NRM’s designated presidential mobiliser, said the DP’s recent electoral gains in Acholi were being used to project President Museveni as a leader attentive to public concerns.
He added that the details of the DP-NRM cooperation agreement have not been adequately explained to the public, calling for greater transparency.
DP, Uganda’s oldest party which has for many decades had strong grassroots support in Buganda Region ,but faded in 2021 following the advert of National Unity Platform(NUP) , secured five parliamentary seats in Acholi region. The party only got one seat in Buganda Region .
The elected MPs are Norbert Mao (Laroo-Pece, Gulu City), Charles Geoffrey Okello (Nwoya East County, Nwoya), Patrick Okello Onguti (Aswa County, Gulu district), Peter Okot (Tochi County, Omoro), and Geoffrey Opiyo Payira (Nwoya County in Nwoya district). In Buganda ,the party got Richard Sebamala (Bukoto Central ) .