The State Minister for Defence, Jacob Oboth Oboth has resigned the position to allow him join the race for speakership.
The position fell vacant on Sunday morning after the demise of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah in the US where he had been flown for treatment.
According to reports from his camp, Oboth Oboth has thrown in the towel and is expected to pick nomination forms at the NRM electoral commission later today.
The ruling National Resistance Movement party on Monday invited its members interested in vying for the speaker of Parliament to submit applications to the party’s electoral commission for consideration.
“Any member who wishes to contest for the position of NRM flagbearer for speaker for the 11th parliament shall deliver a written expression of interest and updated curriculum vitae to the chairperson NRM electoral commission at Plot 13, Kyadondo road between 9am and 5pm on Tuesday , March , 22, 2022,” Dr.Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairperson said.
The developments come on the backdrop of efforts to ensure the next speaker of the Ugandan parliament is elected on Friday.
To ensure this, the NRM caucus in parliament is expected to meet on Thursday elect the party’s flag bearer ahead of the March, 25 general election by MPs.
Several people including current Deputy Speaker Anita Among and former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga are expected to join the race to vie for the position of speaker of the 11th parliament.
Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa, Theodore Ssekikubo and Abdu Katuntu are among the other named that are expected to vie for the position.