Kuteesa seeks Deputy Speaker role on legal expertise platform

KAMPALA - Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, the Member of Parliament for Mwenge County South in Kyenjojo district, has formally declared interest in the position of Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament, presenting herself as a candidate grounded in legal expertise, governance and public service.

Speaking to journalists at Fountain Palace Hotel in Ntinda on May 18, 2026, Kampala, Kuteesa said her professional background and leadership experience position her to help Parliament uphold fairness, efficiency and decorum.

Kuteesa was elected with 44,860 votes, representing 75 percent of the votes cast in her constituency.

A lawyer by profession, Kuteesa holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University and a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre. She has served as an advocate of the High Court since 2006 and previously worked as a state attorney in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

She also held legal positions at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), where she said she gained extensive experience in criminal, tax, civil, cyber and construction law.

According to Kuteesa, her legal background equips her to preside over parliamentary debates, interpret Rules of Procedure and guide legislative business effectively.

While serving as director of legal services at UNRA, Kuteesa said she established and operationalised the institution’s legal department and contributed to claims mitigation and contract management efforts that saved the authority more than sh800b.

At URA, she said she led anti-corruption efforts, oversaw the transition to paperless tax administration and initiated prosecution of tax fraud cases at the High Court.

Kuteesa further served as assistant lead counsel to the Commission of Inquiry into UNRA and said she prosecuted Uganda’s first High Court cybercrime case.

She also participated in drafting more than 30 governance regulations and policies, including Ferry Management and Axle Load Regulations, and represented URA on the National Cyber Strategy Steering Committee.

Beyond government service, Kuteesa serves as vice chairperson of the Bible Society of Uganda and said she is passionate about mindset change, wealth creation, improved household incomes and education.

She also holds a Master of Science degree in Computer Forensics and the Law from the University of Greenwich in London and is a Certified Balanced Scorecard Professional.

Kuteesa said her experience in law, institutional reform, anti-corruption and governance uniquely positions her to serve Parliament with impartiality, humility and dedication as Deputy Speaker.