August, 10,2026 KAMPALA-Uganda’s opposition has laid out an ambitious five-year legislative programme seeking to change how the country handles public demonstrations, criminal cases, presidential spending, refugee affairs and disaster management.
The proposals are contained in a legislative agenda for the 2026/27 to 2030/31 financial years prepared by the Office of the Leader of the Opposition in the 12th Parliament.
At the centre of the agenda is a call for Parliament to exercise greater independence and scrutiny over the Executive.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi said Parliament should not become a platform for simply approving government proposals.
“Parliament was never designed as a passage point for government proposals,” Mr Ssenyonyi said, adding that legislators must scrutinise policies and expenditure and demand accountability for public resources.
He said a strong opposition remains an important safeguard against the abuse of public power.
Push to change public assembly laws
The opposition wants Parliament to review Uganda’s laws governing public meetings and demonstrations.
It proposes bringing provisions currently contained in the Penal Code Act, Police Act and Public Order Management Act into one legal framework.
The opposition argues that conflicting definitions of an “unlawful assembly” have created uncertainty and could be used to restrict lawful gatherings.
It wants the law to remove powers that could allow arrests based on an officer’s perception rather than the actual conduct of people involved.
The proposals would also define who qualifies as an “authorised person” and require authorities to formally acknowledge notices submitted for public meetings.
The opposition says the changes would bring the law closer to Article 29 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly, demonstration and petition.
Criminal justice reforms
The proposed reforms also target delays in Uganda’s criminal justice system.
The opposition wants committal proceedings for capital offences abolished, describing them as a colonial-era practice that unnecessarily delays cases.
It proposes that suspects facing capital charges be committed directly to the High Court.
Magistrates’ courts would also be given wider criminal jurisdiction, with treason and terrorism remaining outside their proposed mandate.
The opposition wants the High Court to sit continuously rather than in periodic sessions, arguing that the expansion of the judiciary creates an opportunity to deal with the growing case backlog.
The agenda further proposes legal provisions for digital justice, pre-trial disclosure and plea bargaining, as well as a clearer career path for magistrates.
Review of detention of mentally incapacitated accused persons
Another proposed change concerns people found mentally incapacitated during criminal proceedings.
The opposition wants courts to take over decisions currently handled by the Minister.
It proposes that courts obtain expert mental health assessments, establish limits on detention and use terminology consistent with the Mental Health Act.
The proposal follows concerns over cases where accused persons have remained in detention for extended periods, including one case cited by the opposition involving 14 years of detention.
Presidential transition and spending
The opposition is also calling for legislation to govern presidential transitions.
A proposed Presidential Transition Bill would establish a formal framework for the transfer of power, including government-funded office space, staff and administrative support.
The opposition also wants the number of presidential advisers limited and their roles organised around defined thematic offices.
It proposes stronger controls over State House supplementary budgets and penalties for spending beyond approved allocations.
A separate framework would regulate presidential donations by setting an annual limit and requiring transparent and auditable criteria for selecting beneficiaries.
Wider governance reforms
The opposition wants Parliament’s Rules of Procedure amended to establish minimum standards for public consultation before Bills are passed.
It also proposes integrating refugee services into district local government budgets and development planning.
On disaster preparedness, the opposition wants a Disaster Risk Management Bill that would establish early-warning systems, make disaster preparedness part of local government planning and criminalise the diversion of relief funds.
The opposition says the five-year programme is intended to strengthen constitutionalism, improve accountability, reduce delays in the justice system and promote greater public participation in government.
The proposals are legislative priorities rather than laws currently in force and will have to go through parliamentary scrutiny and the normal law-making process before taking effect.
