Kadodi Media House Your media place
By Our Staff Reporter
Kampala-February 27, 2026
Florence Akiiki Asiimwe, the Woman Member of Parliament for Masindi District, has formally announced her candidacy for the position of Speaker in Uganda’s incoming 12th Parliament and is calling on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) to let MPs freely elect their leader instead of imposing one.
Speaking to journalists shortly after declaring her bid, Florence said her main focus if elected would be to restore the badly tarnished image of Parliament both inside and outside the country.
“We go to our areas and they have no kind words for us. As MPs, they hate us. They say we are eating our own fat and hating our own freedom,” she told reporters, highlighting the growing public frustration with lawmakers.
Florence, who was re-elected for a second term in the recent polls, stressed that this is not her first attempt at the Speaker’s seat. She made it clear she is ready to accept the outcome of a genuine vote, no matter how small her share.
“Even if I get only five votes, I don’t mind. If another candidate gets just one more vote, we go with that one,” she said. “I pray that the CEC lets us do the right thing go through the process and choose our own leader. Because a leader who is imposed on us is not a good leader.”
The Masindi MP also dismissed reports that 36 members had already endorsed preferred candidates, insisting that most aspirants want a transparent and democratic process.Other candidates are also in the race, though Florence did not name them during the press interaction.
Her bold call comes as the NRM prepares to organise the leadership of the new Parliament following the 2026 general elections. Political observers say the push for an open contest reflects growing restlessness among backbench MPs who want more say in who leads the House.
The race for Speaker is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as the 12th Parliament prepares to convene.
