Deputy Speaker hopeful Barister Makmot Otto Gains momentun daily.
By Okidi Patrick
A thorough look into his background reveals a seasoned administrator who has been systematically groomed for high-stakes leadership over three decades.
KAMPALA — As lobbying intensifies for the coveted Deputy Speaker seat of the 12th Parliament, Agago County legislator Hon. Edward Makmot Otto continues to turn heads, not just for his elite legal credentials, but for a flawless leadership track record stretching from his childhood to international boards.
Master of Parliament’s Rules and Discipline:
Otto’s greatest weapon in the race for the speaker’s chair is his unmatched institutional memory regarding parliamentary jurisprudence. Having served as the Vice Chairperson of the Rules, Privileges, and Discipline Committee in the 10th Parliament, he did not just read the law—he shaped it.
During his tenure, Otto actively presided over, drafted, and compiled the entire Rules of Procedure that govern the current House. Furthermore, he successfully steered the sensitive discipline dockets and investigations involving high-profile Members of Parliament and cabinet ministers. Fellow legislators argue this makes him uniquely qualified to command the house with absolute authority, neutrality, and administrative order.
Elite Academic and Leadership Roots:
Otto’s leadership DNA traces back to Uganda’s most prestigious traditional schools. He honed his early skills at St. Henry’s College Kitovu (SHCK), where he served as the Chairman of the Junior Debating Club and Junior Headboy.
He then climbed higher, joining St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK) for his Advanced Level education. Notably, he shares this elite SMACK Alumnus status with the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Today, Otto actively serves on the executive committee of the SMACK Old Boys Association (SMACKOBA), maintaining deep roots within the country’s influential intellectual networks.
His leadership prowess was evident as early as 1995, when he successfully competed and won the election to represent Masaka District as a Child Delegate during the historic drafting of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda. Later, during his university days, he served as a strategic Cabinet Minister in the Makerere University Students Guild government under the leadership of Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde.
International Exposure and Cross-Border Legal Practice:
Beyond his domestic accolades, Hon. Otto brings a wealth of international corporate governance experience to the table. He previously served at the high-stakes level of global diaspora leadership as the Board Secretary and Number Two in the top management of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA).
Professionally, he is a rare legal heavyweight licensed to practice in multiple jurisdictions. He established and successfully managed Otto Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public in Toronto, Canada, alongside his prominent domestic firm, Otto Edward Makmot & Co. Advocates, strategically located at Interservice Tower on Lumumba Avenue, Nakasero.
Currently serving his second term in Parliament as the undisputed National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer for Agago County, Otto is also a high-ranking member of the NRM National Executive Committee (NEC).
With his mixture of international exposure, rigorous cross-border legal practice, flawless disciplinary track record, and deep loyalty to the ruling party, supporters maintain that Otto is the most intellectually prepared candidate to guide the 12th Parliament into a new era of legislative excellence.
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