Lukwago questions speedy processing of Sovereignty Bill

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Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has questioned the speed at which the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, is being processed.

The Bill, mooted by internal affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire, was read for the first time on April 15, 2026. By April 23, the joint Legal and Defence committees had already opened hearings for stakeholders, even as the tenure of the current Eleventh Parliament is expected to end this week.

This has left many wondering what exactly could be the motive behind the hasty arrangement.

While appearing before Members of Parliament on Monday, April 27, 2026, Lukwago, who is also the interim leader of the People’s Front for Freedom, criticised what he described as the rushing of stakeholders to present submissions within an unusually short timeframe.

“Right now, I am rushing to finish. Yet I needed ample time to thrash through this and be able to make a coherent presentation. But we are being stampeded to rush through this, and yet it is very important, and yet it touches the foundations of this country, which is the existing constitutional order,” he complained.

MPs raise objections

This is not the first time the complaint has been raised. On April 23, 2026, Kilak South MP Gilbert Olanya (FDC) clashed with the two committee chairpersons over the same matter.

This was in the presence of internal affairs state minister Gen. David Muhoozi and Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, who had just presented.

Citing a precedent from the plenary sitting of March 12, 2026, where several Bills, including the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2024 moved by Richard Lumu (Mityana South) and the Sexual Offences Bill, 2024 of Anne Adeke Ebaju (Soroti City Woman MP, FDC), were withdrawn on grounds including time constraints, Olanya argued that the contentious Bill before them should suffer the same fate.

Arguing that what is good for the goose is good for the gander, he questioned the timing of the Bill.

“I would like to find out from the Attorney General (AG), why bring this Bill at this material time when we are left with a few days to end the term of this Parliament. And why is this Bill so much in a hurry that on the order paper today, you are supposed to present it on the floor? It means as a chairman, you are left with a few hours to present this Bill,” Olanya probed.

He further questioned what was so special about the Bill, saying it creates excessive red tape that might cripple investors and discourage Foreign Direct Investment, which in 2024 amounted to $3.3 billion (equivalent to sh12.2 trillion).

“We are among the poorest nations; we are depending on foreign money. This country we have nothing completely, and now you are trying to restrict and control, which may disorganise this economy,” Olanya cautioned.

Chairpersons respond

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Defence and Internal Affairs Committee chairperson Wilson Kajwengye (Nyabushozi County, NRM) and Stephen Bakka Mugabi (Bukhooli North, NRM) said that while it is true that the committee is counting days to the end of its tenure, this would not hinder the provision of adequate time for stakeholders to present their views.

“There has been, and there is euphoria in the media, social media, on everything about this Bill. We are happy that we are officially receiving this Bill. As people’s representatives and what I am saying, I also represent the Speaker of Parliament, we want to assure whoever is out there, and we promise to listen to whoever has an improvement on provisions of this Bill,” Kajwengye stated.

He added that they would consult widely, including listening to Ugandans in the diaspora, to ensure the committee report is representative of all shades of Ugandan society.

At the time, they had a long list of entities, including the Uganda Bankers Association and Financial Intelligence Authority, set to appear before MPs, with many others free to participate.

“The 45 days being quoted is the maximum a bill can be with the committee. It is not the minimum, it is the maximum. A Bill can be processed in a day, two or three days, up to 45 days, beyond which a committee should be able to seek leave of the House to extend the days,” Mugabi explained.

Foreign aid at what cost?

Responding to concerns that the law would scare away investors, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka emphasised that although Uganda needs aid, it should not accept it with conditions that compromise national values.

“We must not receive money, for whatever money we need, because we are poor, therefore we get money to corrupt our morals and determine our destiny. That’s what we are saying here. We are not saying we don’t want FDI, we are saying let it come and it has been coming. But we are saying that if it coming for these purposes in Clause 2(2) please don’t bring it. Colleagues Uganda does not need money at any cost,” Kiryowa stated.

Clause 2(2) of the Bill bars persons or agents of foreigners from influencing government development policy, funding political activities and electioneering, among others.

Those found in breach face a fine of sh2 billion or 20 years in prison for individuals, while legal entities face a fine of sh4 billion.

The same penalty applies under Clause 6 of the proposed law, which prohibits persons or agents of foreigners from undertaking services ordinarily reserved for government under Schedule 6 of the 1995 Constitution without prior approval.

These include maintaining law and order, trade regulation and the provision of essential services such as roads, health and education.

An “agent of a foreigner” is defined as a person who acts as an agent, representative, employee or servant, or any person who acts in any other capacity at the order, request, or under the direction or control of a foreigner, or of a person whose activities are directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidised by a foreigner.