Jacob Oboth Oboth has been elected the speaker of the 12th parliament. In this report, The Pearl Times looks at the rise and rise of Jacob Oboth Oboth, tracing his journey from a difficult childhood to speaker of 12th parliament.
The election of Jacob Oboth Oboth as Speaker of Uganda’s 12th Parliament marks the climax of a long political journey that has transformed him from a humble background in Tororo into one of the most influential figures in the country’s governance structure.
Oboth Oboth slept as an outgoing minister and will go to bed tonight as the speaker of parliament, the third most important job in Uganda.
Known for his calm demeanor, legal mind and strategic political approach, Oboth Oboth has over the years built a reputation as a consensus builder within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
His rise to the helm of Parliament follows years of service in key parliamentary committees, Cabinet positions and sensitive legislative assignments.
Born on April 13, 1971 in Tororo District, eastern Uganda, Oboth Oboth’s early life was marked by hardship and struggle. He did odd jobs during childhood, including fetching water and working as a storekeeper, to support himself through school. At one point, he was sent away from school because of lack of tuition before receiving assistance from missionaries.
He attended Muwafu Primary School before joining St Denis Ssebuggwawo Secondary School for O-Level studies and later Tororo High School for A-Level education.
He eventually joined Makerere University where he pursued a Bachelor of Laws degree before obtaining a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre.
He later earned a Master of Laws degree in election and cyber law from the University of Minnesota in the United States.
Before joining active politics, Oboth Oboth worked as a state attorney under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and also served as a prosecutor in eastern Uganda. He also served as the deputy attorney general for the Tieng Adhola Cultural Institution
His legal background would later become one of his strongest political assets during heated constitutional and parliamentary debates.
His political breakthrough came in 2011 when he contested for the West Budama South parliamentary seat as an independent candidate and defeated then Labour State Minister Emmanuel Otala. The victory announced his arrival on Uganda’s national political stage.
Oboth Oboth, who has two wives, would later retain the seat and steadily rise through Parliament’s leadership structures. In the 9th Parliament, he chaired the Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges as well as the Committee on Natural Resources.
However, it was his leadership of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee that thrust him into the national spotlight during controversial constitutional amendment debates, including the removal of presidential age limits.
Despite criticism from opposition politicians and some ruling party hardliners, Oboth Oboth cultivated an image of a moderate and strategic legislator capable of navigating difficult political situations.
Within NRM circles, he increasingly became viewed as a loyal cadre trusted with sensitive assignments.
His close working relationship with senior government officials and his ability to maintain a low-profile public image strengthened his standing within the ruling establishment.
In 2021, he sought his party’s endorsement for the deputy speaker job but was encouraged to withdraw from the race.
Soon, his appointment as State Minister for Defence further elevated his national profile and positioned him closer to the country’s security and executive power structures.
A few years later, Oboth Oboth was elevated to the position of Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs, where he closely worked with President Museveni’s son Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Muhoozi was the first high profile official to endorse Jacob Oboth Oboth for the speaker job after his Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) rescinded its endorsement of Anita Among for the speakership.
Security operatives would later raid the homes of Anita Among and start investigating her over money laundering, illicit enrichment, abuse of office and corruption. Cornered, Anita Among would pull out of the race.
The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) then embarked on the process of convincing two party MPs to withdraw in favour of Jacob Oboth Oboth’s candidature.
And on voting day, Monday, 25 May 2026, Oboth Oboth easily defeated Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party (DP), and Paul Mwiru of the National Unity Platform (NUP) to become speaker of the 12th parliament.
Supporters describe Oboth Oboth as humble, humorous and legally grounded, while critics argue that he is too closely aligned to the Executive.
Still, allies insist his greatest strength lies in his ability to manage competing political interests without generating unnecessary public conflict. Throughout his political career, Oboth Oboth has largely avoided inflammatory public statements, preferring quiet negotiations and committee-level influence.
As he assumes leadership of the 12th Parliament, Oboth Oboth faces the enormous task of steering a politically charged House amid growing public scrutiny over governance, accountability and relations between Parliament and the Executive.
For many observers, his rise from a struggling village boy in Tororo to Speaker of Parliament remains one of the most remarkable political journeys in contemporary Uganda.
“For a boy who grew up in a rural village called Muwafu in Tororo District, who hustled to attain better education and today stands before you as 12th parliament speaker, it could only be by divine grade and to God be the glory,” said Oboth Oboth in his maiden speech.
“My final promise to all Ugandans is that I will remain the same Oboth, not changed by the grandeur or majesty of the powerful office of the Speaker.”
You can also read interesting facts about the rise of Thomas Tayebwa and how he retained the deputy speaker job after storm that swept away Anita Among HERE.
