By Aggrey BabaAs the battle for the Speaker of the upcoming 12th Parliament heats up, fresh details have emerged explaining why the ruling NRM moved to invite Norbert Mao (one of the expected contestants) to its powerful parliamentary caucus.The invitation, which has since sparked debate within both NRM and the opposition, is officially being justified on the basis of the cooperation agreement Mao signed with NRM and his subsequent appointment to Cabinet, under which Mao is expected to regularly interface with the ruling party structures, especially on matters relating to government business, including budgets under his docket at the Justice ministry.However, beyond the formal explanation, insiders say the move is deeply intertwined with the ongoing speakership contest, where Mao has unexpectedly emerged as a formidable contender against the incumbent Anita Among of NRM.The NRM parliamentary caucus is not just any ordinary meeting. It is the engine room where the ruling party fine-tunes strategy, aligns positions and ultimately decides who carries its flag for top parliamentary offices. And traditionally, once the caucus settles on a candidate, the rest of the House largely follows, given NRM’s numerical muscle.It is against this background that Mao’s invitation becomes politically significant. By appearing before the caucus, he gets a rare platform to directly engage NRM MPs, explain his speakership bid and possibly win over sections of the yellow camp.At the same time, the invitation gives NRM an opportunity to size him up. Party insiders say this is a chance to test Mao’s political posture, his commitment under the cooperation agreement and whether he can fit within the broader strategy of consolidating power in the next five years.NRM publicity chief Emmanuel Dombo has been categorical that Mao’s presence in the caucus should not surprise anyone, arguing that once Mao signed the cooperation deal with the NRM top boss, Yoweri Museveni and accepted a Cabinet position (Minister for Judiciary and Constitutional Affairs), he effectively became part of the structures through which government business is processed.Dombo insists that the caucus invitation is routine and anchored in accountability, where ministers are expected to explain their performance in implementing the NRM manifesto. Mao, in this case, is expected to account for his role in the Justice ministry and how it contributes to government priorities.However, Mao himself appears to be looking at the caucus differently. During a rev3nt TV appearance, he indicated interest in not just attending but also addressing the members and even participating in the Kyankwanzi retreat.Observers now say Mao sees this as an opportunity to have a direct political conversation with NRM legislators and, more importantly, to position himself as a unifying figure capable of bridging the gap between government and the opposition.Inside DP however, the development has not been received well by everyone, with party deputy president Fred Mukasa Mbidde insisting that the cooperation agreement is limited and does not extend to internal NRM processes such as determining the Speaker.Mbidde maintains that the agreement strictly covers specific Cabinet portfolios and is tied to the implementation of the 2021 NRM manifesto, warning that anything beyond that should not be construed as a merger or full political alignment. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).