Weeks before the fourth session of the August House opened on June 6, 2023, the US and UK governments imposed sanctions on Speaker Anita Among and several MPs, including her husband Moses Magogo. These sanctions followed revelations that four Parliamentary Commissioners took Shs1.7 billion as a “service award,” sparking serious ethical concerns.
Speaker Among opened the session by urging MPs to “stay strong,” acknowledging that leadership often invites criticism, sanctions, and misunderstanding. “We owe it to our society to stand firm,” she said during the State of the Nation Address.
Meanwhile, MPs Sarah Opendi and Alion Odria supported a censure motion spearheaded by Theodore Ssekikubo. However, party leaders blocked the motion when the NRM Chief Whip and Caucus leadership instructed MPs not to sign. During the 2024/25 budget reading, President Museveni distanced himself, telling MPs, “Don’t involve me in your struggles with the commissioners.” In August, the High Court ruled Parliament had legally approved the award and included it in the budget.
By July, public backlash mounted against Parliament’s top leadership over allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and abuse of office. Activists organized a protest march, but police violently suppressed it. Authorities reportedly sexually assaulted some protesters in custody, accusing them of accepting foreign funds to destabilize the government.
Inside Parliament, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa faced pressure from Opposition MPs to allow debate on the protesters’ concerns. Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi pointed out that many demonstrators had been arrested for raising corruption issues. Erute South MP Jonathan Odur echoed these frustrations, stating that MPs could not answer constituents’ questions about corruption.
Just a week earlier, President Museveni claimed he held evidence of MPs involved in corruption and budget tampering. On June 11, police arrested three NRM-leaning MPs—Yusuf Mutembuli, Cissy Namujju, and Paul Akamba—for allegedly soliciting a 20% kickback from the Uganda Human Rights Commission. Police charged the trio in the Anti-Corruption Court and granted them bail.
Despite the scandals, Parliament passed a record number of Bills during the fourth session. However, Timothy Chemonges, Executive Director at the Centre for Policy Analysis (Cepa), argued that most legislation advanced executive priorities instead of public interests. He criticized Parliament’s silence on over 2,000 human rights violations flagged by the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
One of the most controversial moves came when MPs reinstated military courts for civilians through the UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025—passed just a week after tabling. This move defied a Supreme Court ruling that declared such trials unconstitutional. Museveni praised the legislation in his SONA address.
Other fast-tracked laws included the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed despite Opposition protests. Meanwhile, Opposition MP Richard Lumu faced backlash after proposing amendments to the Administration of Parliament Bill, 2024. His suggestions to elect and vet the Leader of the Opposition met rejection across all parties.
A rare moment of cross-party unity came during debates on the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (Rapex) Bills. MPs from both sides resisted government plans to dissolve UNRA, URF, and UCDA. Despite lobbying efforts, President Museveni’s allies pushed through the dissolutions.
Looking ahead, Chemonges urged Parliament to resist becoming a tool for repressive laws and instead prioritize democracy, rule of law, and citizen rights. He called on MPs to hold public consultations, protect whistleblowers, and declare their assets to restore trust.
A report by advocacy NGO Twaweza titled “The People’s Priorities” revealed that citizens worry most about unemployment, high living costs, corruption, and poor health services. Senior officer Maria Nanyanzi stressed that people expect Parliament to address their daily struggles.
In his recent SONA, Museveni handed down 32 new Bills, including tax laws, amendments to the Education Act, and reforms in worker compensation. Parliament will resume on July 12 to start processing this legislative agenda.
