PARLIAMENT. Parliament has given Ugandans only seven days to submit their views on the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026.
This will be done in nationwide consultations Parliamentarians will conduct on the controversial legislation that introduces strict controls on foreign-linked funding and actors.
According to a public notice issued by Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige, the Bill was read for the First Time on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, and has since been referred to a joint committee comprising the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs and the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for detailed scrutiny and reporting.
Mwesige stated that members of the public and stakeholders are expected to submit written memoranda or appear before the committees during consultations, with submissions required not later than Friday, April 24, 2026.
“The Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 was read for the First Time on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, and subsequently referred to the Joint Committee of the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs and the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for detailed scrutiny and reporting,” Mwesige said in the notice.
The development comes shortly after government tabled the Bill in Parliament, triggering debate on the floor of the House and sharp reactions across public discourse.
The Bill, introduced by Minister of Internal Affairs David Muhoozi, seeks to tighten oversight of individuals and organisations receiving foreign funding, alongside enhanced state monitoring of external financial inflows.
It also proposes that the department responsible for peace and security be designated as the central authority to register and regulate agents acting on behalf of foreign interests.
Under the draft law, individuals or organisations receiving more than Shs400 million annually from foreign sources would be required to obtain written approval from the responsible minister.
Failure to comply with the proposed provisions could attract severe penalties, including classification as a “foreign agent” and imprisonment of up to 20 years, as well as other sanctions for activities deemed to promote foreign interests against the state.
Parliament has urged the public to actively participate in the consultation process as the committees assess the implications of the proposed legislation on governance, funding transparency, and national sovereignty.