Speaker Oboth pays internal affairs ministry visit, renews passport

KAMPALA - The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Markson Oboth-Oboth, has this morning paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kampala and renewed his passport.

During the visit, Oboth interacted with the acting Chief of Citizenship and Immigration, Col. Geoffrey Kambere, at the National Citizenship and Immigration Control Headquarters on Old Portbell Road.

The West Budama Central Member of Parliament was elected Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament for the 2026–2031 term during the first parliamentary sitting at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on May 25.

Oboth secured 441 votes, beating Laroo-Pece Division MP Norbert Mao and Jinja East Division MP Paul Mwiru to the seat.

Mwiru, a National Unity Platform member, came second after garnering 60 votes, while Mao, who is the Democratic Party president, came third with 15 votes.

Oboth replaced Anita Among, the Bukedea District Woman MP, who withdrew from the race at the last minute.

Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija presided over the election before Oboth took over and presided over the election of the deputy speaker, Thomas Tayebwa. President Yoweri Museveni also attended the first sitting.

MPs in 12th parliament

There are 529 MPs elected to the 12th parliament, with NUP having the majority number of members in the opposition.

Of the total number of MPs, 373 members belong to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), NUP has 49 MPs, Uganda People's Congress (UPC) 12 MPs, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) eight MPs, Democratic Party (DP) six MPs, People's Front for Freedom (PFF) two MPs, and Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) one MP.

There are 68 independent MPs, many of whom are considered sympathetic to the ruling NRM party. This is in addition to the 10 MPs representing the Uganda People's Defence Forces.