The Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026 has been gazetted, setting the stage for a parliamentary debate on proposed changes to how the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) is selected and held accountable.
The Bill, sponsored by Buyaga West County MP Dennis Namara, appears as Bill No. 15 in the Uganda Gazette, Volume CXIX, No. 95, dated October 23, 2026.
The proposed law seeks to amend the Administration of Parliament Act to introduce a system under which opposition MPs would elect their leader instead of leaving the decision to the largest opposition party.
Under the current arrangement, the opposition party with the largest number of seats in Parliament designates the Leader of the Opposition. The Bill proposes that opposition MPs vote for the office-holder, with the aim of widening participation in the selection process.
It also proposes that the Shadow Cabinet be approved through a resolution of opposition MPs and introduces additional grounds for removing the LoP, including misconduct, incompetence and inability to perform official duties because of physical or mental infirmity. The proposed amendments would also require wider consultation when appointing opposition representatives to parliamentary leadership positions, including committee chairpersons.
If enacted in its current form, the Bill would require the sitting Leader of the Opposition to vacate office three months after the law comes into force, paving the way for a fresh election under the proposed system.
The current LoP is Joel Ssenyonyi of the National Unity Platform (NUP), which emerged as the largest opposition party following the reconstitution of Parliament in May 2026.
Namara was granted leave by Parliament to introduce the Bill on July 8, 2026, following a plenary debate chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
He has argued that the existing arrangement allows the largest opposition party to determine who becomes LoP without obtaining the approval of opposition MPs from other parties.
The proposal follows an earlier attempt to change the selection process through a Private Member’s Bill introduced in 2024 by former Mityana South MP Richard Lumu. That Bill was withdrawn in March 2026 following objections from opposition parties and concerns raised by the Attorney General’s office.
The proposed changes have attracted differing views, with supporters arguing that they would strengthen accountability and internal democracy within the opposition, while critics have expressed concern that they could weaken the influence of the largest opposition party.
Despite being gazetted, the Bill remains a proposal and has not become law. It must go through Parliament’s legislative process, including the relevant readings and committee consideration, before it can be passed and presented for presidential assent.
