NRM legislators to apply for committee, commission membership online

KAMPALA - The office of the Leader of Government Business has developed four apps with the view of streamlining communication on matters of national importance.

Charles Lwanga Kiiza, the Director of the Office, disclosed this on Thursday, May 28, 2026. This was during an orientation session for new Members of Parliament, which took place in the South Wing parking area.

The above applications are accessible via smartphone and require members to log in using a username, which can be their username and submit their questions through a designated portal.

The questions are then automatically channelled to the relevant ministries for a requisite response, which members can be able to read by themselves on the platform.

Parliamentary commission, committees’ membership.

Unlike in previous times, when members had to engage in backdoor lobbying to secure membership to committees and the Parliamentary Commission, interested MPs this time round have to apply online.

On a positive note, each applicant will also have the option of indicating up to three preferred committees.

“Sectoral committee membership is also going to be the same on your phones. You are not going to receive phones. We are going to send you this app; you put in your email, whether it's Parliament or Gmail, your name is already populated in the data. So, you go and choose your name. From there, it brings up your constituency, then you put in your qualifications. For example, Bachelor of Laws, then work experience. Immediately after that, you choose your region,” Lwanga explained.

“With leadership, you have to upload a Curriculum Vitae and also your application of a minimum of one page….It is also the same with the application for being a Parliamentary commissioner,” he emphasised.

MPs concerns

The latest reforms appear to be in response to wide-ranging complaints, especially regarding dwindling time for debate on the floor.

However, to others, who include Mwenge Central MP Apuuli Kasukaali Methusela (NRM) and Jonam County MP Marshall Alenyo, are wary of departing from age-old traditions.

“There is this issue of presenting in Parliament, and voters want to see you addressing their issues on the floor. Later, there is this obsession with how many times people spoke and all that. Is this counted in the Hansard as your submission, or does this end online?” Kasukaali posed.

Alenyo said, “If you look at the British Parliament, which we copy from, there is what they call the shuffle. Where members of Parliament put their names in a shuffle, and the lucky ones are picked to answer the Prime Minister directly. It is only the leader of opposition who has the right to ask six questions in a row.”

“How sure are we that the questions we upload online go to the Prime Minister herself. Won't they be answered by some political assistants or some people in the technical office? The spirit of this type of Parliament is to ask the Prime Minister directly and look at her emotions and get her response directly,” he added.

Relatedly, Vincent Freedom Kaheeru (Kyaka North, NRM) implored, “Considering that we are over 500 members, I know that this activity is time-constrained and of course not all of us might be at the same level of managing the e-approach. I was wondering what approach we should adopt that will enable us to all be equitably considered, be able to fill our information in time and get fair treatment.”