The Chief Justice, Dr Flavian Zeija, has declared Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Member of Parliament for West Budama Central County, Speaker-elect of Uganda’s 12th Parliament after he secured a landslide 441 votes during the 1st Sitting of the 1st Meeting of the 1st Session of the 12th Parliament.
His closest challenger, Hon. Paul Mwiru, garnered 60 votes, while Democratic Party president general Norbert Mao trailed in the hotly contested race for one of the country’s most powerful political offices.
In his maiden communication as Speaker-elect, Oboth-Oboth pledged to champion integrity, accountability and a corruption-free legislature.
“Under my leadership, we will cultivate a culture of absolute integrity and zero tolerance to corruption anchored in President Museveni’s clarion call to a corruption-free Parliament in the next five years,” he said shortly after taking the Speaker’s chair.
The victory marks the culmination of a long political and personal journey for a man who rose from humble beginnings in eastern Uganda to become the head of the country’s legislative arm.
Born on April 13, 1971, in Tororo District, Oboth-Oboth grew up in modest circumstances and has frequently spoken about the struggles that shaped his life. As a child, he survived through odd jobs including fetching water for a fee and working as a storekeeper.
His education journey was equally difficult. He attended Muwafu Primary School before joining St. Denis Ssebugwawo Secondary School for his O-Level studies. Financial hardship later forced him out of school, and at one point he was reportedly taken in by American missionaries after being stranded on the streets of Tororo because of unpaid tuition.
During that period, he worked as a storekeeper and took on several casual jobs for nearly two years before returning to school at Tororo High School for his A-Level education.
Oboth-Oboth later joined Makerere University in 1997 to study law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2001. He went on to obtain a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre before acquiring additional professional certifications in intellectual property and public procurement from the International Development Law Organization.
In 2007, he earned a Master of Laws degree in election and cyber law from the University of Minnesota in the United States, strengthening his profile as a legal and governance expert.
Before entering active politics, Oboth-Oboth worked in both cultural institutions and government service. He served as Deputy Attorney General for the Tieng Adhola Cultural Institution before joining the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as a state attorney stationed in Mbale.
His stay in the United States proved transformative both academically and politically. According to Oboth-Oboth, the international networks he developed later helped attract donor-funded projects to West Budama South constituency, boosting his popularity among voters.
In 2010, he resigned from government service to join active politics. A year later, he contested for Parliament as an Independent candidate and defeated then State Minister for Labour, Dr Emmanuel Otaala. Although Otaala challenged the election results in court, Oboth-Oboth’s victory was upheld.
He retained his parliamentary seat in 2016 after polling 20,653 votes against NRM candidate Phibby Awere Otaala’s 19,462 votes, becoming the first legislator in the constituency to secure consecutive re-election since 1996.
Over the years, Oboth-Oboth steadily built influence within Parliament through committee leadership and legislative work. In the 9th Parliament, he chaired the Committee on Rules, Discipline and Privileges and also led the parliamentary investigation into Uganda’s electricity sub-sector under the Committee on Natural Resources.
He later became chairperson of the influential Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee while also serving on the parliamentary Business Committee and the Rules Committee.
His rise to the Speakership gained momentum after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and members of the Patriotic League of Uganda publicly endorsed his candidacy. The ruling NRM’s Central Executive Committee subsequently backed him as the party’s official candidate for Speaker of the 12th Parliament.
Political analysts describe Oboth-Oboth as a seasoned legislator with extensive knowledge of parliamentary procedure, constitutional law and governance. Supporters portray him as approachable and grounded, qualities they say stem from his difficult upbringing.
As Speaker of the 12th Parliament, Oboth-Oboth now takes charge of presiding over parliamentary business, safeguarding legislative independence and steering Uganda’s lawmaking process during a politically significant period.
For many Ugandans, his election is more than a political triumph — it is a story of resilience, perseverance and determination from the streets of Tororo to the highest office in Parliament.
