Uganda's Namara Faults Finance Ministry Over Delayed Certificate for Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill

Buyaga West County Member of Parliament Denis Namara has expressed disappointment with the Ministry of Finance over its failure to issue a Certificate of Financial Implications for his proposed Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2026. The bill, which seeks to change the process of selecting the Leader of the Opposition, was presented for its first reading in Parliament despite the absence of the certificate. Namara questioned the delay by the Ministry of Finance in issuing the required certificate, citing difficulties in securing the document.

The proposed legislation aims to allow all Members of Parliament, including opposition legislators and independent MPs, to participate in electing the Leader of the Opposition. Under the current process, the responsibility of selecting the Leader of the Opposition is left exclusively to the opposition party with the highest number of seats in Parliament. Namara's bill seeks to change this process by involving a vote by the entire House. The bill was referred to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for consideration, although it was not cleared to proceed to the second reading.

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth Oboth asked Namara to explain the steps he had taken to obtain the certificate. In response, Namara told Parliament that he had made several attempts to secure the document but had not received a positive response from the ministry. The delay in issuing the certificate has raised concerns about the difficulties faced by private members of Parliament in securing the required documentation for their proposed legislation.

The decision to refer the bill to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs attracted objections from the Member of Parliament representing Older Persons in the Central Region, James Kakooza. Kakooza argued that the proposed legislation could not advance to another stage without a Certificate of Financial Implications. The Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2026, has sparked debate about the process of selecting the Leader of the Opposition and the role of the Ministry of Finance in the legislative process.

The Ministry of Finance is required to issue a Certificate of Financial Implications for private members' bills under the Public Finance Management Act. The certificate is a critical document that assesses the financial implications of proposed legislation. The delay in issuing the certificate has raised questions about the Ministry's commitment to supporting the legislative process and the implementation of private members' bills.

The proposed changes to the process of selecting the Leader of the Opposition have significant implications for the functioning of Parliament. The bill seeks to promote inclusivity and transparency in the selection process, allowing all Members of Parliament to participate in electing the Leader of the Opposition. The outcome of the bill's consideration by the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs will be closely watched by stakeholders and observers.

The issue highlights the challenges faced by private members of Parliament in Uganda in pushing through their proposed legislation. The delay in issuing the Certificate of Financial Implications has hindered the progress of Namara's bill, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the legislative process. The matter is expected to be resolved as the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs considers the bill and the implications of the delayed certificate.

Key points

• The Ministry of Finance's delay in issuing the Certificate of Financial Implications has hindered the progress of the Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2026.