The Kingdom of Buganda has warned the Attorney General that the Draft Protection of Sovereignty Bill 2026 will unintentionally affect cultural institutions, legitimate development partnerships and civic participation in Uganda.

The submission, received on 28 April 2026 through the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Security Registry, urges government and Parliament to carefully reconsider key clauses of the proposed legislation before it proceeds to its next stages. 

Buganda emphasized that its engagement is grounded in its constitutional mandate and is not intended as political opposition.

“I write to respectfully submit the Kingdom of Buganda’s detailed concerns, observations and recommendations on the Draft Protection of Sovereignty Bill 2026 for your urgent consideration, before the Bill proceeds to its further stages in Parliament,” the Kingdom stated.

The Kingdom further clarified its position, stressing its continued partnership with Government in national development efforts.

“These submissions are not partisan politics in nature and are not made in opposition to the Government of the Republic of Uganda. On the contrary, the Kingdom of Buganda regards itself as a partner of the government in national development,”the letter reads.

At the centre of Buganda’s concerns is the proposed definition of foreigner and agent of a foreigner which the Kingdom argues is too broad and could wrongly capture Ugandan citizens in the diaspora as well as constitutionally recognised cultural institutions that engage with international partners.

The Kingdom observed that citizenship should be determined by law and not by place of residence, warning that Ugandans living abroad remain citizens regardless of where they reside. It further noted that millions of Ugandans in the diaspora maintain strong cultural, familial, and economic ties with Uganda and contribute significantly to development initiatives.

Buganda also warned that its own programmes, many of which receive support from international development partners and Ugandans abroad, could be misclassified under the proposed law. It cited cultural and community initiatives that rely on voluntary contributions, including fundraising events and development programmes across sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and cultural heritage.

“To label such contributions as ‘foreign funding’ and to designate family members back home as agents of foreigners is a profound injustice,”the Kingdom stated.

Buganda Kingdom urged that cultural institutions be explicitly exempted from such classifications.

The Kingdom recommended that the Bill should clearly distinguish between foreign political interference and legitimate cultural or civic engagement, warning that the current wording risks exposing lawful advocacy to criminal liability.

It further expressed concern that Clauses 7 and 8 of the Bill could restrict cultural institutions from engaging in public discourse on matters of governance and development, particularly where such engagement is supported by external partners. 

Buganda noted that it has historically engaged government on issues such as land rights, education, health, agriculture, and cultural preservation, which it considers part of its constitutional role.

Attention was also drawn to Clause 13 on economic sabotage, which the Kingdom described as overly broad and lacking clear legal thresholds. It warned that the provision could be used to criminalise legitimate expression of opinion or policy criticism.

A Kingdom official, it noted, could be exposed to prosecution simply for raising concerns about the impact of a government project on local communities, even where such concerns are made in good faith. Buganda therefore called for a clearer definition that limits the offence to deliberate acts undertaken with proven intent to destabilise the economy in furtherance of foreign interests.

The submission also raised concern over the severity of penalties under the Bill, describing them as excessively harsh and potentially inconsistent with constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and participation in public affairs.

Particular concern was expressed over Clause 22, which sets a threshold of Ugx 400 million for disclosure of foreign funding. Buganda argued that this threshold is unrealistic for cultural institutions and community development programmes that depend on periodic external support.

The Kingdom warned that provisions allowing for heavy fines, imprisonment, and forfeiture of funds could negatively affect social development programmes, particularly those aimed at improving livelihoods in health, education, and cultural preservation.

Buganda further urged Government to exempt constitutionally recognised traditional institutions and their affiliated entities from registration and reporting requirements under the Bill, arguing that such obligations would create administrative burdens that could hinder their operations.

The Kingdom called for a balanced approach that safeguards Uganda’s sovereignty while preserving the constitutional role of cultural institutions in national development.

It urged Parliament to carefully refine the Bill to ensure it strengthens national interests without unintentionally restricting legitimate cultural, civic, and developmental activities.

Stories Continues after ad

More than Shs1 billion has been raised from the 52nd birthday run of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF),Muhoozi Kainerugaba following a massive mobilisation that saw thousands of Ugandans converge at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala for one of the high-profile charity events of the year.

The figure, announced shortly after the event, shows the financial weight and scale of participation generated by the “Run for Hope” initiative, which combined public mobilisation, elite backing and corporate contributions into a single large scale fundraising drive.

“I’m happy to announce that we raised over 1 billion Uganda shillings during the birthday run. I shall soon announce the charities we shall support and handover cheques to them. Thank you all for your support,” Muhoozi said in a post via X(formerly Twitter).

The run, held on April 26, attracted an expansive cross section of participants, with thousands turning up in the early hours for various race categories as Kololo and surrounding roads were filled with runners, supporters and organised groups. The turnout included youth, security personnel, corporate teams and political mobilisers, reflecting the growing reach of the annual birthday run beyond a personal celebration into a national level event.

The event drew a high political and institutional presence, with Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa representing Muhoozi as chief guest, alongside senior government officials, ministers and former security chiefs. Among those seen at the run were former Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura and State Minister Henry Okello Oryem, highlighting the level of state and political visibility attached to the gathering.

City businessman Sudhir Ruparelia emerged as one of the most prominent figures at the event after contributing Shs100 million towards the charity drive and physically participating in the run alongside thousands of Ugandans. His contribution, confirmed by organisers, stood out among the top individual donations and significantly boosted the fundraising effort.

Beyond the financial injection, Sudhir’s presence at Kololo in full running gear drew attention, with images of him running alongside participants and interacting with leaders dominating social media and public discourse in the aftermath of the event.

Muhoozi, in his message, singled out the businessman for praise, acknowledging both his personal attendance and financial support.

“I thank our beloved elder Mr Sudhir Ruparelia for attending the birthday run. He is the richest and smartest businessman in Africa, and his support means a lot to this cause,” he said.

The run was organised under the banner of the Patriotic League of Uganda and carried the theme “Run for Charity, Run for Hope,” with funds raised through kit sales, corporate sponsorships and direct contributions expected to support charitable interventions, particularly in Uganda’s health sector where gaps in access to treatment, medicines and services persist.

The mobilisation for the run extended beyond Kampala into other regions, with teams distributing running kits and rallying participants, days ahead of the event, contributing to the large turnout witnessed at Kololo.

The gathering also attracted a mix of business leaders, musicians and organised groups, with visible coordination from different networks that have in recent years aligned around Muhoozi’s public engagements. The presence of high profile-figures such as former Vice President Edward Ssekandi, who was seen interacting with Sudhir during the event, added to the stature of the occasion.

The scale of attendance, combined with strong financial backing from both private individuals and institutions, pushed the fundraising total past the Shs1 billion mark, positioning the 2026 edition of the birthday run among the most financially successful charity events staged in the country in recent years.

The event further reinforced the increasing use of large scale public gatherings as platforms for mobilising resources for social causes, with the Kololo run demonstrating the ability to bring together thousands of participants within a short period around a single initiative.

With the funds now secured, attention shifts to the beneficiaries, with Muhoozi indicating that details of the organisations to receive support will be announced soon, alongside the formal handover of funds.

“I shall soon announce the charities we shall support and handover cheques to them,” he said.

Therefore, the next phase of the initiative brings in transition from mobilisation to impact. 

Stories Continues after ad

The government has announced the resumption of nationwide enforcement of the controversial trade order, following a Cabinet resolution reached on Monday, April 27, 2026.

The Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi confirmed the decision, saying Cabinet had reviewed the earlier suspension and agreed that implementation should proceed as initially planned.

“I’m here to inform you that Cabinet, at its sitting yesterday, the 27th of April 2026, agreed and resolved that the implementation of the trade order should continue as earlier planned,” Magyezi said.

He explained that the temporary halt had been necessitated by consultations with key stakeholders, including religious leaders and traders, who had raised concerns about the manner in which the directive was being enforced.

“Previously, in Parliament, we informed the House that we had suspended the trade order. That was because we had a meeting with some petitioners, including the leadership of Born Again and Pentecostal Churches in Uganda, as well as the Federation of Uganda Traders Association,” he said.

According to the minister, one of the key outcomes of those engagements was a decision to temporarily suspend the demolition of places of worship to give affected institutions time to comply with regulatory requirements.

“They asked for a little more time, and we agreed that specifically the demolition of churches be suspended to allow them improve their structures and get their building plans approved,” Magyezi added.

The latest development comes just days after the government had announced the suspension of the same enforcement exercise following widespread criticism from traders, religious leaders and civil society groups.

The State Minister for Trade, David Bahati had earlier last week said the pause was intended to pave the way for broader consultations and a more refined implementation strategy.

“We are going to continue the consultations to see how best the objective of this exercise can be achieved, and we’ll ensure that nobody is hurt, nobody is abused,” Bahati said at the time.

He emphasised that the overarching goal of the policy is to restore order in urban trading spaces, but cautioned that enforcement must be handled carefully.

“The intention of this is to bring order, and order must be brought in an orderly manner without interfering with people’s lives and livelihoods,” he noted.

Bahati also apologised to religious leaders over the conduct of some enforcement teams, acknowledging concerns about how the operation had been executed on the ground.

“We shall ensure that professional people are used to do any government work so that there is peace,” he said.

The trade order is the government initiative aimed at reorganising urban commerce by relocating vendors from streets and informal settings into designated markets and gazetted trading areas. The policy is critical for decongesting cities, improving sanitation and enhancing safety.

However, its enforcement has sparked alarm across several urban centres, with small-scale traders reporting abrupt evictions, loss of merchandise and limited access to affordable trading spaces.

Members of Parliament also raised concerns over the impact of the operation, with some legislators questioning the lack of prior communication and the alleged heavy-handed approach by enforcement teams.

The government has since pledged continued engagement with stakeholders, including traders and religious institutions, as it moves forward with the resumed enforcement under a more structured and consultative framework.

Stories Continues after ad