Uganda Parliament Seeks UK Collaboration for Legislative Reforms

Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has initiated discussions with the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, to foster enhanced collaboration between the two parliamentary bodies.

This engagement, held in London, is a key component of Oboth’s broader strategy to revitalize the Parliament of Uganda. The Ugandan Parliament’s administrative structures and practices have historically been influenced by the UK’s House of Commons, making it a valuable source of knowledge and inspiration for ongoing reforms.

Since taking office in May 2026, Speaker Oboth has been a proponent of restoring the Parliament to its foundational principles. He views the UK Parliament’s extensive institutional history as a rich resource for lessons that can guide Uganda’s legislative modernization efforts.

“This is about consolidating our efforts to reset, revive and rejuvenate the management and affairs of the Parliament of Uganda,” Oboth stated, emphasizing the goal of strengthening mutual benefit through exchanges, attachments, and benchmarking programs.

Beyond institutional development, the visit also serves as parliamentary diplomacy to deepen a long-standing relationship. Oboth proposed an inter-parliamentary network to support bilateral interests in education, trade, and mining, areas identified as having significant potential for Uganda-UK cooperation.

Speaker Hoyle commended Oboth’s vision and leadership, affirming the UK Parliament’s readiness to support inter-parliamentary diplomacy. He highlighted the potential for such initiatives to strengthen the Commonwealth family and encourage African nations to unite within the organization.

This meeting is anticipated to be the initial step in establishing a formal cooperation framework between the parliaments of Uganda and the United Kingdom.

Source: Parliament of Uganda