A day after the presidential swearing-in ceremony, the Parliament of Uganda has begun swearing in newly elected Members of Parliament for the 12th Parliament.
More than 500 legislators are expected to take the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Member of Parliament over a three-day exercise running from May 13 to May 15 at Parliament in Kampala.
According to the parliamentary programme, the swearing-in sessions will run from 8:00 am to 1:30 pm, with additional afternoon sessions scheduled from 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm each day.
Members of Parliament-elect are being sworn in according to alphabetical order.
Meanwhile, several civil society organisations have called on the incoming 12th Parliament to focus on national priorities and citizens’ welfare rather than partisan interests.
Andrew Mafundo urged lawmakers to prioritise accountability in the use of public resources and create more opportunities for Uganda’s youth.
He also called on Members of Parliament to exercise independence from the Executive and political party interests to ensure legislation reflects the national interest.
Robert Turyakira appealed to the new Parliament to place greater emphasis on environmental protection and climate change issues.
Meanwhile, Fatia Kiyange called for increased domestic financing for the health sector.
Kiyange said Uganda’s commitment to the 2001 Abuja Declaration on health financing should remain a key priority and urged Parliament to pass and operationalise a national health insurance law to improve access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable populations unable to afford treatment.
