Norbert Mao has welcomed the decision by the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) to withdraw support for second terms for Speaker Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, saying the group’s position is consistent with the fight against corruption.
Mao made the remarks shortly after taking oath as Member of Parliament for Laroo-Pece Division, marking his return to Parliament after nearly 20 years.
Addressing journalists after the swearing-in ceremony, Mao criticized the current leadership and operations of Parliament, arguing that the institution has increasingly been perceived by citizens as unaccountable.
“I am happy that the PLU has taken a stand against corruption and fighting corruption means you fight the corrupt. You cannot say you are fighting malaria and then you are a friend to mosquitoes because it is mosquitoes who carry malaria,” Mao said.
The Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister said PLU had consistently communicated its position on the leadership question in Parliament and accused some Ugandans of selectively interpreting political statements.
“They have said that before but you know in Uganda people only hear what they want to hear,” Mao stated. “PLU has been very consistent. They are saying they will follow what the President will direct.”
Mao also used the occasion to outline his vision for Parliament should he be elected Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
He proposed the establishment of what he described as a “caucus of the whole House,” a platform that would bring together Members of Parliament from across political divides to discuss and resolve national issues collectively.
“When I am elected to lead the House, I will ensure that we have something called the caucus of the whole House,” Mao said. “There are some problems which have no party lines. The caucus of the whole House will enable us to tackle problems together as representatives of the people.”
He added that Parliament must create more room for debate and ensure all legislators are given equal opportunities to contribute to national discussions.
“We must give all these Members of Parliament their due air time to talk. We should organise them so that we have real debate,” he said.
Mao further called for Parliament to focus on protecting ordinary citizens and promoting equality before the law.
“We must ensure that this Parliament protects the poor people, and the principle which we should base our work on is equality of all citizens,” Mao said.
Using a metaphor involving currency notes, Mao argued that all Ugandans deserve equal treatment regardless of their social status.
“If you have a UGX10,000 note which is brand new from the bank, and you have another one which is dirty, torn and probably fastened by glue, do you think the new one can buy more things than the old dirty and torn one? So, we should treat all Ugandans equally,” he remarked.
The minister also emphasized the need for increased transparency and public oversight over Parliament.
“I am hoping that this Parliament in these next five years will respect itself enough to ensure that government keeps its promises to the people,” Mao said. “We are the watchdogs and we will encourage the people also to watch us because the watchdog cannot stay without being watched.”
He added that public confidence in Parliament has declined because many citizens believe legislators operate without sufficient accountability.
“Citizens now think that Parliament does whatever it wants. Nobody can even say anything but we are all under the same law,” Mao stated.
The comments come amid growing debate over the leadership of the incoming 12th Parliament and widening political discussions around accountability, corruption, and internal reforms within the Legislature.