Bill to Change Election of Opposition Leader Gazetted

Buyaga West County MP Dennis Namara’s proposal to change how Parliament elects, supervises and removes the Leader of the Opposition has been gazetted.

The publication of the Bill in the Uganda Gazette means the it may soon be tabled before Parliament for debate and consideration.

The Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026, is listed as Bill No. 15 in the Uganda Gazette, Volume CXIX, No. 95, dated October 23, 2026. 

The Bill proposes that all opposition MPs elect the Leader of the Opposition, replacing the current arrangement under which the opposition party with the largest number of MPs selects the officeholder.

It would also require opposition MPs to approve the Shadow Cabinet, introduce additional grounds for removing the Leader of the Opposition and widen consultations on appointments to parliamentary leadership positions. 

Namara, who represents Buyaga West County in Kagadi District, obtained Parliament’s permission to introduce the Private Member’s Bill on July 8, 2026, following a plenary debate chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

Moving the motion, Namara argued that the existing law gives one opposition party control over the selection of a leader who is expected to represent the wider opposition in Parliament. 

He said the arrangement limits the participation of MPs from other opposition parties and independent legislators in choosing the person responsible for scrutinising government policies and holding the Executive accountable.

Under the proposed amendments, the Leader of the Opposition would be required to consult opposition parties, organisations and independent MPs when appointing opposition representatives to parliamentary leadership positions. 

The Shadow Cabinet, whose members are assigned portfolios corresponding to those of government ministers, would also require approval by opposition MPs through a parliamentary resolution. Under the proposed arrangement, the Leader of the Opposition would no longer appoint the team solely in consultation with party leadership.

The Bill proposes additional grounds for removing the Leader of the Opposition, including misconduct, incompetence and inability to perform official duties because of infirmity of body or mind. 

It also provides for the current officeholder to leave the position three months after the proposed law comes into force, followed by a fresh election under the new framework.

The proposals seek to amend the Administration of Parliament Act, 1997. Section 8 of the Act provides that the opposition party with the greatest numerical strength in Parliament elects the Leader of the Opposition. Although the party may consult other opposition parties and independent MPs, their participation is not mandatory. 

Section 9 provides for the officeholder to cease holding office if removed by the party that elected them, resigns, leaves that party, ceases to be an MP under Article 83 of the Constitution, or the party loses its position as the opposition party with the greatest numerical strength in Parliament.

Article 82A of the Constitution requires Parliament to provide by law for the selection and removal of the Leader of the Opposition, the officeholder’s status and functions, and the benefits and privileges attached to the position. 

The Leader of the Opposition scrutinises government policies, coordinates opposition positions and presents alternatives to government programmes. The officeholder is accorded the status and privileges of a Cabinet minister. 

The Bill comes amid public exchanges between Opposition Leader Joel Ssenyonyi and Gen. 

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces and head of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), over the military chief’s conduct. 

Muhoozi called for Ssenyonyi’s removal in posts on X and subsequently directed PLU-affiliated legislators to explore ways of unseating him.PLU later endorsed the proposed amendments. 

Kasambya County MP David Kabanda, who heads the Office of the PLU Chairman, announced the organisation’s support on behalf of Muhoozi, arguing that the law should provide a clear mechanism for removing the Leader of the Opposition. 

Namara recently told our reporter that he was ready to present the Bill on the floor of Parliament.

Gazetting formally publishes the Bill as part of the legislative process. It does not mean Parliament has passed the proposed amendments or that they have become law. The Bill must undergo the applicable parliamentary procedures before its provisions can take effect