Dear MPs, welcome but do your work 

Some 132 Members of Parliament swore in yesterday to mark their entry into the 11th Parliament in an exercise that will see 529 legislators join the House by Thursday.

The 1995 Constitution and the Oath Act of 1963; Chapter 19 stipulates that all elected Members of Parliament must swear in before assuming office. 

First, we take the earliest opportunity to congratulate you on the milestone of having the chance to represent your respective constituencies at national level.

The election cycle is a brutal one and making it to the House is worth celebrating.

We also would like to alert you early enough – especially the new lawmakers – that there is pending work from the previous House that ought to be disposed of. 

Related to that, the 10th Parliament, and some before, have been blamed for many things including several MPs skipping sessions, taking long to pass Bills, bending to the whims of the Executive; especially those on the ruling National Resistance Movement party, and being a rubber stamp Legislature. 

MPs have also been notoriously accused of signing for allowances whereas not attending sittings and for failing to do the work for which they were elected.

Let’s remind ourselves of the roles you were elected to do.  The functions of the Parliament of Uganda as captured stipulated by Parliament are:

Legislation: Members debate and pass laws through which the institutions of government endeavor to guide the country’s process.

Budget Approval/Appropriation: Members of Parliament (analyse) and pass (approve) the national Budget every financial year.

Oversight: Monitor and bring to the attention of Ministers and the public, government misuse of funds, violations of rule of law and unlawful activities.

Representation: Represent their constituents’ views in Parliament. MPs bring to the attention of relevant Ministers different matters of national concern

The august House is, thus, not a place to merry make or enrich oneself. You ought to play the roles for which you were elected. 

Also, do not hide in the city; be available to your constituents back at home and serve them diligently. Go back to them and hold consultative meetings with the constituents, update them on the activities of Parliament and government policies, programmes, and gather their views and concerns on issues, which affect their livelihood.

And lastly, 2026 is not far away; use your time in the House preciously to do only the right things and adhere to the oaths you swore at Parliament yesterday.