Parliament on Tuesday conducted debate on the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, amid heightened tension among MPs.
The House, sitting at full capacity, held the second reading of the bill, which drew strong opposition from the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi.
Ssenyonyi questioned the legitimacy of proceeding with the debate, citing reports that President Yoweri Museveni had distanced himself from the original bill tabled by State Minister for Internal Affairs David Muhoozi, alongside Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka.
Some of the most contested clauses in the original bill include definitions of who qualifies as a foreigner, the role of foreign agents, and the imposition of harsh penalties.
Despite the opposition, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among maintained that she had not received any formal amendments to the bill and directed that the debate proceed based on the original version tabled before the House.
By Francis Lubega
5th May 2026
END