Uganda Parliament Passes Sovereignty Bill Amidst Heated Debate and Opposition Accusations

Parliamentary Speaker Anita Among declared the passage of the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, an “historic Bill” as it was the final piece of legislation passed by the 11th Parliament. The bill, which aims to safeguard Uganda from foreign interference in its political affairs, was passed late Tuesday evening after extensive debate. Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) voiced strong dissent, accusing Speaker Among of bias and allocating insufficient time for them to present their five dissenting reports. Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, argued for fair play, stating, “You have your way, and we have our say.” However, Speaker Among insisted the bill must be concluded that day. Despite a protest that led to a division vote, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, numbering 284 against the Opposition’s 54, ultimately carried the day. The new law stipulates that individuals or entities engaging in political activities promoting foreign interests will be deemed agents of those foreigners. Penalties include hefty fines of up to Shs2 billion for entities and Shs1 billion or 10 years imprisonment for individuals. During the debate, Ssenyonyi questioned the bill’s process, alleging it differed from the one initially presented and was based on a “leaked” committee report. Speaker Among refuted these claims, stating the report was officially sanctioned and uploaded. Further drama unfolded when MPs debated suspending procedural rules to expedite the bill’s passage. The Opposition demanded a headcount after a voice vote, which confirmed the NRM’s numerical advantage. Minority report submissions also faced time constraints, with MP Jonathan Odur expressing frustration at being denied adequate time to present his 40-page report, despite the Speaker eventually extending the time. The bill now awaits President Museveni’s signature to become law.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)