Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has downplayed Justice Minister Norbert Mao’s emerging interest in the Speakership, arguing that parliamentary arithmetic, not rhetoric, will ultimately determine the outcome.
Responding to growing debate over Mao’s possible candidature, Among said his political position places him at a structural disadvantage, given the limited numbers held by the Democratic Party in the incoming 12th Parliament.
“My brother Norbert Mao also has the disadvantage of leading a party that secured only six seats in the 12th Parliament,” Among said. “So even if he were very serious, he would face an uphill task competing against a duo that will carry the flag of a political party with over 400 Members of Parliament, a decisive majority.”
Among’s remarks reflect the ruling NRM’s confidence in its numerical dominance, reinforcing the view within party circles that the Speakership remains a function of numbers rather than sentiment or cross-party goodwill.
Her intervention comes amid heightened political conversation sparked by Mao’s recent comments framing the Speakership as an open, consultative contest rather than a settled internal arrangement. While Mao has grounded his position in constitutional and institutional language, Among’s response speaks to the centrality of party discipline and parliamentary arithmetic in leadership outcomes.
Mao, for his part, has dismissed the idea that the Speakership is merely a numbers game, insisting that constitutional mandate and political consensus matter as much as party strength. While conceding the NRM’s majority, he has warned against treating parliamentary leadership as pre-allocated, arguing that the Speaker must serve Parliament, and the country, rather than party structures alone.
With the NRM commanding an overwhelming majority, Among’s camp appears intent on signalling continuity — and discouraging speculation that elite consensus within Parliament could fracture ahead of the first sitting of the 12th Parliament.
