The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, has criticised the proposed amendments to the Administration of Parliament Act, warning that the legislation could be used to target individuals holding the office rather than address broader administrative challenges in Parliament.
Ssenyonyi argues that if Parliament intends to introduce elections for leaders representing the Opposition, the same arrangement should apply to leaders on the government side to ensure fairness and balance in the administration of the institution.
He has also questioned the rationale behind changing the law in a manner he believes could be directed at the current holder of the Leader of Opposition position, insisting that the office will continue to exist beyond his tenure.
Speaking out against the proposed legislation, Ssenyonyi said it was wrong for Parliament to enact laws that appear to target particular individuals because of their political positions or views.
“I’m not the first LOP, and I will not be the last. So it is erroneous to enact a law targeting an individual because I say things you don’t like or agree with,” he said.
He suggested that if Parliament wanted leaders on either side of the House to be elected, the same principle should apply to both the Opposition and the ruling government side.
Ssenyonyi further dismissed suggestions that the proposed changes would silence him, particularly on issues of human rights violations, injustice and poor governance.
“If the Bill is intended to shut me up from speaking about human rights violations, injustice and bad governance, then they are mistaken because I’ll not keep quiet!” he added.
In a sarcastic conclusion, the Opposition leader questioned whether removing him from office would solve the country’s economic and service delivery challenges, including high fuel prices, exchange rate fluctuations and persistent electricity outages.
“Finally, I hope the LOP is the Country’s biggest problem, that when we deal with him; fuel prices will drop, the dollar rate will drop, power outages will stop, etc!!” he said.
How the proposed law seeks to change the Opposition leadership
Ssenyonyi’s remarks follow the introduction of the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026, sponsored by Buyaga West MP Denis Namara of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The Bill was formally tabled for its first reading on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after Namara obtained parliamentary permission to introduce it in July.
Under the existing legal framework, the Leader of the Opposition is selected by the Opposition political party with the greatest numerical strength in Parliament. The National Unity Platform (NUP), which has the largest number of Opposition MPs, is therefore responsible for selecting Ssenyonyi.
However, the proposed amendments seek to transfer that responsibility to all Opposition MPs, who would participate in electing the Leader of the Opposition from among members of the largest Opposition party.
The Bill also proposes that the Shadow Cabinet be approved by Opposition MPs through a parliamentary resolution, instead of being constituted by the Leader of the Opposition in consultation with party leadership.
It further seeks to introduce additional grounds for removing the Opposition leader, including misconduct, incompetence and inability to perform official duties due to physical or mental infirmity.
Another provision proposes that the incumbent vacates office three months after the law comes into force, paving the way for fresh elections under the proposed arrangement.
Political controversy surrounding the Bill
The proposed legislation has attracted political controversy, with critics questioning its timing and suggesting that it could weaken the Opposition’s independence.
The debate has also unfolded against the backdrop of a public disagreement between Ssenyonyi and the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
In June 2026, Muhoozi publicly expressed his desire to have Ssenyonyi removed as Leader of the Opposition and announced that he had instructed politicians associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) to explore ways of replacing him.
The development added to suspicions among Opposition politicians that the proposed legislative changes could be politically motivated.
However, Namara has defended the Bill, arguing that the existing arrangement gives one Opposition party excessive control over an office that is expected to represent the wider Opposition.
Similar proposals were previously advanced by Mityana South MP Richard Kizito Lumu in the 11th Parliament. His 2024 Bill was eventually withdrawn in March 2026 following disagreements over its provisions and objections from several Opposition parties, including the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Alliance for National Transformation (ANT).
On Wednesday, Speaker of Parliament Oboth Oboth referred Namara’s Bill to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for scrutiny.
The Bill’s progress has also raised questions over its financial implications after the Minister of Finance failed to issue the required certificate. Namara argued that under Parliament’s rules, the certificate is deemed issued after 60 days without a response to the request.
The committee is expected to scrutinise the proposed amendments and report back to the House within 45 days, following concerns raised by the Speaker.
The Bill is still at the preliminary legislative stage and has not been passed into law.
