Mukono briefly turned into Uganda’s unofficial Parliament on Saturday as dozens of newly sworn-in Members of Parliament converged at the home of West Budama MP Jacob Oboth-Oboth for a thanksgiving celebration that political observers are already calling the “first parliamentary sitting” of the 12th Parliament.

The event, organized to celebrate Oboth-Oboth’s swearing-in as MP for West Budama, attracted a powerful gathering of ruling NRM party legislators, political mobilizers, and key NRM figures, confirming that the race for Speaker is a foregone conclusion.

The comparisons to a parliamentary sitting come just days after Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, publicly endorsed Oboth-Oboth for Speaker of Parliament, describing him as the “best minister” in government and openly backing his bid for the powerful position.

With MPs still fresh from their swearing-in ceremonies over the past three days, many appeared to head straight from Parliament to Mukono, where the mood mixed politics, celebration, and quiet lobbying.

Sources at the gathering described the atmosphere as part thanksgiving, part strategy meeting, with MPs joking that “the House had already sat” before the official election of parliamentary leadership.

The event comes on the same day security raided the home of now former Speaker Anita Annet Among in a reported corruption probe.

Until two weeks ago, all seemed to be done and dusted for Among as the frontrunner in the race. Gen Muhoozi's endorsement changed everything

However, one thing is now clear: the road to the Speaker’s chair may already be running through Oboth-Oboth’s home.