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The parliament of Uganda is the country's legislative body.
Unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one. Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multic ...
, the most significant of the Ugandan parliament's functions is to pass laws that will provide good governance in the country. The government ministers are bound to answer to the people's representatives on the floor of the house. Through the various parliamentary committees, parliament scrutinises government programmes, particularly as outlined in the ''State of the Nation'' address by the president. The fiscal issues of the government, such as taxation and loans need the sanction of the parliament, after appropriate debate.


Composition

The Parliament has a total of 529 seats, including 353 representatives elected using
first-past-the-post voting In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast their ...
in single winner constituencies. Using the same method, 146 seats reserved for women are filled, with one seat per
district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
. Finally, 30 seats are indirectly filled via special electoral colleges: 10 by the army, 5 by youths, 5 by elders, 5 by unions, and 5 by people with disabilities. In each of these groups, at least one woman must be elected (at least two for the army group). In 2016, it was composed of 288 constituency representatives, 121 district woman representatives, ten
Uganda People's Defence Force The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...
representatives, five representatives of the youth, five representatives of persons with disabilities, five representatives of workers, and seventeen ''ex officio'' members.


History

The Ugandan parliament was established in 1962, soon after the country's independence.


First Parliament (1962–1963)

This body was then known as the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
. It had 92 members and was presided over, as
speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...
, by Sir John Bowes Griffin, a
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
lawyer and former Ugandan Chief Justice.


Second Parliament (1963–1971)

During this period, Prime Minister
Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to ...
abrogated the constitution and declared himself
President of Uganda The president of the Republic of Uganda is the head of state and the head of government of Uganda. The president leads the executive branch of the government of Uganda and is the commander-in-chief of the Uganda People's Defence Force. The ...
in 1966. This parliament also witnessed the abolition of Uganda's traditional kingdoms and the declaration of Uganda as a
republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
. The speaker during the Second Parliament was Narendra M. Patel, a Ugandan of
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n descent. This parliament ended when
Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern w ...
overthrew Milton Obote's government in January 1971.


Third Parliament (1979–1980)

Following the overthrow of Idi Amin in April 1979, a new legislative body known as the Uganda Legislative Council was established. With an initial membership of 30, the membership was later increased to 120. This was the Third Parliament and was chaired by Professor Edward Rugumayo. This legislative body continued to function until the general elections of December 1980.


Fourth Parliament (1980–1985)

This period marked the return to power of
Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to ...
and the
Uganda People's Congress The Uganda People's Congress (UPC; sw, Congress ya Watu wa Uganda) is a political party in Uganda. UPC was founded in 1960 by Milton Obote, who led the country to independence and later served two presidential terms under the party's banner ...
(UPC), following the disputed national elections of 1980. The speaker of the Fourth Parliament was Francis Butagira, a
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
-trained lawyer. the Fourth Parliament ended when General Basilio Olara Okello overthrew Obote and the UPC government in 1985.


Fifth Parliament (1986–1996)

Known as the National Resistance Council (NRC), the Fifth Parliament was established following the end of the Ugandan 1981-1985 guerrilla war. Starting with 38 historical members of the
National Resistance Movement The National Resistance Movement ( sw, Harakati za Upinzani za Kitaifa; abbr. NRM) has been the ruling party in Uganda since 1986. History The National Resistance Movement (NRM) was founded as a liberation movement that waged a guerrilla ...
and
National Resistance Army The National Resistance Army (NRA), the military wing of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), was a rebel army that waged a guerrilla war, commonly referred to as the Ugandan Bush War or Luwero War, against the government of Milton Obote, and l ...
, the legislative body was gradually expanded to include representatives from around the country. The speaker during the Fifth Parliament was
Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. Museveni spearheaded rebellions with aid of then ...
, who also concurrently served as the President of Uganda.


Sixth Parliament (1996–2001)

The Sixth Parliament was constituted during one-party rule (NRM).
James Wapakhabulo James Francis Wambogo Wapakhabulo (23 March 1945 – 27 March 2004) was a Ugandan politician who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda from 2001 to 2004. Background Wapakhabulo began his career studying law at the University of Ea ...
served as speaker from 1996 until 1998. From 1998 until 2001,
Francis Ayume Francis Joash Ayume (1940–2004), was a Ugandan politician and lawyer. At the time of his death he was the incumbent Attorney General of Uganda. Early life and education He was born on 18 August 1940, in Koboko District to Misaeli Onale, an ...
, a member of Parliament from Koboko District, served as speaker.


Seventh Parliament (2001–2006)

The Seventh Parliament was presided over as Speaker by
Edward Ssekandi Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi (born 19 January 1942) is a Ugandan politician and lawyer who served as the eighth vice president of Uganda from 24 May 2011 to 21 June 2021. Prior to that, he served as the Speaker of Parliament from 2001 to 2011. He ser ...
. The most controversial legislation passed during this period was the amendment of the constitution to remove presidential term limits.


Eighth Parliament (2006–2011)

This was a continuation of the Seventh Parliament, with Edward Ssekandi as speaker and Rebecca Kadaga as deputy speaker.


Ninth Parliament (2011–2016)

The Ninth Parliament was presided over by
Rebecca Kadaga Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga (born 24 May 1956) is a Ugandan lawyer and politician who served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda from 19 May 2011 until 21 May 2021. She currently serves as the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda. She conc ...
as
speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...
, and
Jacob Oulanyah Jacob L'Okori Oulanyah (23 March 1965 – 20 March 2022) was a Ugandan agricultural economist, lawyer, and politician, who served as the Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda since 2021 until 2022. He was elected to that position on 24 May 20 ...
as deputy speaker.


Tenth Parliament (2016–2021)

In the Tenth Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah remained in their posts as speaker and deputy speaker respectively.


2017 Parliament fight

On September 27, 2017, a fight ensued during a legislative session of the Ugandan parliament. The legislation in discussion at the time was to remove the presidential age limit of 75 from the Ugandan constitution. Following accusations from the parliamentary speaker against certain lawmakers in the chamber of disorderly conduct, a full-fledged fight broke out in which chairs were thrown, microphone stands used as clubs, and eventual removal of some members by plain clothes security officers.


Eleventh Parliament (2021–present)

On March 25, 2022,
Thomas Tayebwa Thomas Tayebwa (born 10 November 1980) is a member of the Parliament of Uganda since 2016, and has served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament since 2022. He was appointed as the Government Chief Whip by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. Since 2016, he ...
was voted as the new Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda.


See also

*
List of legislatures by country This is a list of legislatures by country. A "legislature" is the generic name for the national parliaments and congresses that act as a plenary general assembly of representatives and that have the power to legislate. All entities included i ...
*
List of speakers of the Parliament of Uganda This is a list of speakers of the Parliament of Uganda, since 1962: References External links Website of Parliament of Uganda {{DEFAULTSORT:Speakers of the Parliament of Uganda Parliament of Uganda Uganda }), is a landlocked count ...
*
Apollo Ofwono Apollo Yeri Ofwono (born April 14, 1962) is a Ugandan politician and a member of Ugandan parliament representing Tororo Municipality in Tororo District. He was elected to the parliament on the ticket of the National Resistance Movement The N ...
*
Politics of Uganda Uganda is a presidential republic in which the President of Uganda is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government business. There is a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is ...


References


External links

* {{Authority control
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
Organisations based in Kampala
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
Organizations established in 1962 1962 establishments in Uganda