BREAKING NEWS: Parliament Passes Controversial Sovereignty Bill

As expected, parliament of Uganda has this evening passed the controversial Protection of Sovereignty Bill after the Joint Committee of Internal Affairs and Defense and Legal and parliament affairs presented their majority report which was signed by over 50 members from both committees.

This was followed by a Minority report which was read by Erute South MP Jonathan Odur. Other Individual members like Gilbert Olanyah, Betty Nambooze, Wilfred Nuwagaba, Medard Lubega Ssegona and Abdallah Kiwanuka were also give some minutes to present their dissenting views.

The Government Chief Whip then moved a motion for the house to forego the 3 days given to MPs after the report on a bill is presented such that the bill is read for the second time, third time and then pass it. Parliament convened into a committee and passed some recommendations of the committee to the bill and subsequently the bills was passed by the majority of MPs.

Despite efforts for the leader of opposition and several other legislators to warn the house that the bill being debated was not the original version sent to the committees but an amended copy from the Attorney General, Speaker Anita Among poured cold water on all these efforts and moved the house into having the bill pass today by hook or by crook.

Resultantly, the Sovereignty Bill which was largely rejected by most of the stakeholders invited to face the committee processing it including the Financial Intelligence Authority, Bank of Uganda, Religious leaders, political parties will now be sent to the president to assent to it even when he expressed his disappointment publicly that the bill before parliament is not the one he had initiated.

The Bill was passed following amendments that refined key definitions, including narrowing who qualifies as an “agent of a foreigner” . The law also clarifies and sets out the types of activities covered, including political engagement, funding, and representation of foreign interests in Uganda, with defined exceptions introduced.

Nothing would stop the bill passing since the NRM MPs had earlier in their caucus resolved to vote in favor of the bill and it had to be done today or never that’s why the plenary extended to almost 9pm in the night.

Parliament passes Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026

Parliament adopted the report from the Committee Stage of the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, after completing clause-by-clause consideration.

The Bill was then read for the Third Time and passed by Parliament.

Photo… https://t.co/uCpOvHgcTk pic.twitter.com/lac9x3CdrU

— Parliament Watch (@pwatchug) May 5, 2026

Details to follow…..

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