Veteran journalist and lawyer Charles Odongtho could replace Joseph Sabiti as Principal Press Secretary in the office of the Speaker, multiple sources at Parliament have told Bbeg Media.
Odongtho worked closely with new Speaker Jacob Oboth Oboth during his campaign to lead the House. We understand he was part of his communications and mobilization team that spent hours calling MPs and urging them to vote for Oboth-Oboth.
After Oboth-Oboth was elected Speaker on May 25, Odongtho’s “consultancy gig” ended, sources have told us.
Currently, Odongtho, who previously worked with Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja before the two fell out, is “jobless.”
Sabiti has occupied the position since 2022 when Anita Among replaced Jacob Oulanyah as Speaker. He has been a vehement defender of her policies and decisions.
However, when Among fell out of favour with the establishment, Sabiti distanced himself from her.
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Traditionally, the speakers have played a direct role in who serves them as their mouthpiece. In some cases, they have handpicked the individuals they prefer to communicate on behalf of the office.
In her last years as Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga tapped Sam Obbo, a former journalist, to serve as her communications officer. Previously, she used Ranny Ismail, a long-serving public relations official at Parliament, in the role.
Oulanyah’s short-lived reign had Sarah Kagingo serve as his PR officer. Kagingo gave way for Sabiti when her boss died, and Among replaced him.
However, we have been told that Oboth-Oboth, being a stickler for rules and procedures, wants the role advertised and filled through a merit-based recruitment process.
What has delayed the process, we have been told, is the fact that the Parliamentary Commission is yet to be fully constituted. NRM is yet to nominate its three members to the commission, and once it does, the process will start.
Still, Odongtho, who is a regular presence at Parliament, is favoured for the role, according to insider sources.
Sources told us that Sabiti could be redeployed within the communications directorate under Chris Obore.
Should the change happen, it would be a reversal of roles as Sabiti replaced Odongtho as the host of Frontline, the flagship political talk show of NBS TV, in March 2020.
Sabiti worked as a senior journalist at NBS TV from 2015 to 2021. Before that, he worked as a parliamentary reporter for WBS TV.
