Opposition Members of Parliament walked out of Parliament this morning, boycotting a plenary session convened to debate and pass the highly controversial Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Amendment Bill 2025 and the Political Parties and Organisations Amendment Bill 2025.
The walkout came as a surprise to many, particularly since the opposition caucus had agreed just a day prior to attend the session—departing from their usual approach of boycotting debates on contentious legislation.
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At the start of the sitting, opposition MPs occupied their seats, appearing ready to engage in the debate. However, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi suddenly declared their decision to exit, citing a lack of genuine deliberation.
“We cannot continue to take part in a process where the outcome is already predetermined,” Ssenyonyi said, before leading his colleagues out of the chamber.
His remarks were in response to a National Resistance Movement (NRM) caucus meeting held the day before at State House Entebbe, where the ruling party’s MPs reportedly agreed to pass the UPDF Bill without amendments.
The opposition claims such decisions undermine the purpose of parliamentary debate, reducing the legislature to a ceremonial body that merely approves executive decisions.
The two bills in question have raised significant alarm among opposition leaders and civil society actors. Critics argue that the UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 could increase military interference in civilian governance, while the Political Parties Bill is seen as a threat to independent political activity and democratic expression.
The opposition is expected to hold a press briefing soon to elaborate on their protest and outline their next steps.
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