Parliament has abruptly withdrawn three major pieces of legislation touching on political leadership, sexual violence, and access to justice, a move aimed at balancing public opinion, constitutional practice, and financial constraints.
During a plenary sitting on March 12, 2026, lawmakers shelved the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024, and the National Legal Aid Bill, 2022 after months of intense scrutiny, stakeholder consultations, and disagreements over their legal and policy implications.
Presiding over the sitting, Speaker Anita Annet Among framed the withdrawals as evidence that Parliament was listening to citizens and experts. “Since we are a people-centred legislature, we are duty-bound to be responsive to the views and aspirations of the masses,” she told MPs, hinting that more comprehensive reforms could return in a future legislative cycle. Yet while the decisions defused some political tensions, they also left unresolved concerns about victim protection, political accountability, and access to legal representation for millions of Ugandans.
One of the most controversial proposals to fall was the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Richard Lumu, MP for Mityana South. The Bill sought to overhaul the process for selecting the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) by requiring all opposition MPs, not just the largest opposition party, to elect the LoP.
It also proposed new removal grounds, such as incompetence or misconduct, and required parliamentary approval for shadow cabinet appointments. Critics argued the changes would weaken party autonomy and risk constitutional conflicts. After consultations with the Attorney General, political parties, and parliamentary committees, Lumu conceded the proposal lacked support.
Uganda’s system follows the Westminster tradition, where the Leader of the Opposition is appointed by the party with the highest number of opposition MPs. This principle is embedded in the Administration of Parliament Act and reinforced through parliamentary practice under the Constitution of Uganda.
Another high-profile casualty was the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024, originally tabled by Anna Adeke, Soroti City Women MP. The Bill aimed to consolidate and modernise Uganda’s fragmented laws on sexual crimes, unifying provisions scattered across the Penal Code Act, the Domestic Violence Act, and the Children Act.
Proposals included creating a national sex offenders register managed by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA); criminalising out-of-court settlements for sexual offences; introducing new crimes such as child grooming and drug-facilitated rape; and providing compensation and rehabilitation support for victims. However, moving the withdrawal on behalf of Adeke, Kassanda Woman MP Flavia Nabagabe said disagreements among stakeholders threatened to alter the Bill’s core objectives.
Speaker Among also noted government concerns that several offences proposed in the Bill were already criminalised under existing legislation. The withdrawal comes despite troubling statistics on gender-based violence. According to the Uganda Police Force, 1,667 rape cases were reported in 2024, an increase of nearly six percent from the previous year. National surveys suggest the scale of the problem is far larger: roughly one in three women and one in six men in Uganda have experienced sexual violence, while children remain particularly vulnerable.
Meanwhile, the National Legal Aid Bill, 2022, introduced by Silas Aogon, Kumi Municipality MP, was withdrawn after the government signalled plans to introduce a revised version. The Bill aimed to create a national legal aid framework, regulate service providers, and establish a dedicated legal aid fund for indigent and vulnerable citizens.
The proposal sought to operationalise the right to a fair hearing guaranteed under Article 28 of the Constitution of Uganda and expand legal representation beyond the limited coverage provided by the Poor Persons Defence Act. Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka said the government would work with MPs to table a harmonised version, but stopped short of committing to funding.
Previous justice sector studies estimate that implementing a nationwide legal aid system could cost roughly Shs47 billion annually, far more than the limited funding currently allocated to institutions such as the Justice Centres. Speaker Among suggested the withdrawals were part of a broader strategy to avoid piecemeal legislation and ensure that comprehensive, well-resourced reforms are considered in future parliamentary cycles.