By Peterson Hiirya

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has expressed confidence in his leadership, saying his tenure as Speaker will deliver results despite skepticism from some quarters when he assumed office nearly a month ago.

Speaking during the handover ceremony of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Secretary General’s office at the organisation’s headquarters in Naguru on Wednesday, Oboth reflected on his unexpected rise to one of the country’s highest offices and urged Ugandans to embrace leadership transitions.

The event saw outgoing Secretary General David Kabanda hand over office to his successor, Fadil Twalla, in the presence of Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, religious leaders, political figures, PLU members and supporters.

“Tomorrow I will be making four weeks in Parliament as Speaker. Others thought I would not make one week. Actually, others thought I was not worth being a Speaker,” Oboth said.

The Speaker revealed that his appointment came as a surprise even to himself, noting that he was comfortably serving as Minister of Defence before being elevated to the parliamentary leadership position.

“I was in Mbuya, very comfortable as Minister of Defence. My friend Kiryowa Kiwanuka was somewhere here in Naguru as Attorney General. Little did he know that we were going to switch roles. And now we have the former Attorney General as Minister of Defence,” he said.

Oboth said such developments demonstrate that leadership positions are often determined by forces beyond human planning.

“Government works in different ways. And therefore, especially a government established by God works in different ways,” he said.

NRM Creates Opportunities

The Speaker credited the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) for creating opportunities that enable ordinary Ugandans to rise to positions of national importance regardless of their backgrounds.

“The NRM government, which I know most about, is the only government that has given us hope that a son of a peasant, like me, can be a Speaker in Uganda,” he said.

Oboth said his journey should inspire many Ugandans who feel disadvantaged by their social or economic circumstances.

He cited the appointment of Fadil Twalla as PLU Secretary General as another example of how leadership opportunities can emerge unexpectedly.

“You can see General MK picking a man from Sebei, and you wonder why. Some of you came here to prove whether it is true. Hon. Fadil, get up. You are the new Secretary General of PLU. So it is true,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Call for Unity in PLU

The Speaker used the occasion to call for unity within PLU, emphasizing that internal cohesion would determine the organisation’s success.

“There are no splinter groups within PLU. The Central Committee has been restructured, and the survival of this PLU depends on absolute cohesion,” he said.

Oboth stressed that the pressure group was established to support, rather than compete with, the ruling NRM government.

“You are here to support the NRM government and not to undermine it,” he told members.

He also praised outgoing Secretary General David Kabanda for his contribution to building the organisation during its formative years.

“I thank Hon. David Kabanda for his years of dedicated service as the pioneer Secretary General of PLU. He set a high standard for this position, and we commend him for his contribution as he moves to another role,” Oboth said.

Warning Against Corruption

Addressing the incoming Secretary General, Oboth cautioned that leadership should be viewed as a responsibility rather than a privilege.

“I offer a message that is both a welcome and a warning. You inherit not a title, but a trust,” he said.

“The mistake we make many times when we get to these offices is that we think it is an office and not a commission.”

The Speaker further urged PLU leaders and members to demonstrate integrity and commitment to public service by avoiding corruption and other forms of misconduct.

“There should not be any other scandals involving PLU members in any form of corruption,” he warned.

He specifically condemned practices such as land grabbing, theft of public resources and failure by leaders to serve citizens effectively.

“One of the principles of PLU is to fight corruption and promote patriotism. Some of us who are now PLU and also in positions of responsibility, let us demonstrate this in real time,” he said.

Oboth concluded by reminding members that unity remains one of the organisation’s strongest assets.

“PLU stands for unity, and unity is not a slogan. It is a weapon. Use that weapon well,” he said.