Parliament was thrown into chaos on Tuesday morning after the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, led a dramatic walkout by opposition MPs in protest over what he termed as a “sham process” surrounding the controversial Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The heated plenary session was marked by verbal exchanges between Ssenyonyi and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, after the Opposition leader challenged the pace at which the bill had been processed.
Raising a procedural concern, Ssenyonyi questioned how the committee tasked with scrutinizing the bill could have completed consultations within just days, despite various stakeholders — including the National Unity Platform (NUP) raising concerns about inadequate time and notice.
“This is a Parliament of rules,” Ssenyonyi stated. “Why then does the Prime Minister not know the rules? Stakeholders were locked out, including my party. We received an invitation at 8am for a 9am meeting, and when we requested a reschedule for Monday, the committee never responded. Instead, we found that a report was already being written over the weekend. That is not consultation.”
In response, the Joint Committee Chairperson defended the timeline, citing Parliament’s rules that give committees up to 45 days but do not prohibit earlier reporting. “Even if a report is ready in one day, we should be thanked for being efficient,” the Chair said.
But Ssenyonyi was unconvinced. “You invite people for input and then turn around and say you will pass the bill ‘as is’? That is not lawmaking. That is pretending,” he added,
He referenced a late-night media interview by the Government Chief Whip in which it was allegedly declared that the bill would pass unaltered.
Accusing the government side of undermining due process and public participation, Ssenyonyi declared that the opposition could no longer legitimize what he called “a sham process,” before walking out of the chambers with several opposition legislators in tow.
The UPDF Amendment Bill 2025 has attracted national attention for its proposed changes to military structures and operations, with critics demanding broader consultations.
Speaker Anita Among, who presided over the plenary, proceeded with other business after the walkout.
