news 4 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Parliament chamber completion deadline set for June 2027
Speaker Jacob Markson Oboth has mandated Roko Construction Ltd to finalize the new parliamentary chamber by June 30, 2027, following a site inspection and high-level discussions regarding persistent delays. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/speaker-oboth-orders-roko-to-complete-new-parliament-chamber-by-june-2027-5584414
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Markson Oboth has set a firm deadline of June 30, 2027, for Roko Construction Ltd to complete the long-awaited new parliamentary chamber. This decision comes nearly a decade after construction initially commenced.
Following an inspection of the site on August 26 and subsequent high-level meetings with the contractor and project consultants, the Parliamentary Commission agreed on the new target. The delays have been attributed to various factors, including modifications to the structural design during the project and cash-flow challenges faced by the contractor. The Speaker emphasized that Parliament is committed to providing financial advances to Roko to help expedite the remaining works.
The project, which began in 2017 with an initial completion target of 2020, has seen multiple revised timelines and budget allocations. The initial capacity was designed for 88 legislators, but with the current number of 555 Members of Parliament, the existing chamber is severely congested, forcing some MPs to stand during sittings.
To accommodate the growing number of legislators, the project’s design was expanded to house up to 600 MPs, increasing the revised contract value to approximately Shs220 billion from an initial Shs179 billion. Other contributing factors to the delays have included evolving security requirements and logistical hurdles.
The new deadline replaces a previous target of December 30, 2027, effectively shortening the timeline by six months. The opposition, through Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, has consistently voiced concerns over the prolonged delays and the continued expenditure on rented office spaces while the new parliamentary facilities remain incomplete.
“The contractor has made a commitment in writing, and we shall closely monitor execution to ensure this deadline is strictly honoured,” Mr Oboth stated to Parliament. This latest directive is expected to intensify efforts from both Roko Construction and the Parliamentary Commission to meet the revised schedule.