By KT Reporter
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has challenged legislators to reflect on Uganda’s legislative and national development journey as the 11th Parliament enters its final session, emphasizing public sector reform, regional equity, and international cooperation.
Delivering her address during the opening of the 5th session on Thursday at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Among highlighted Parliament’s legislative output, which included the passage of 35 laws, many of them targeting economic reform, pension management, tax efficiency, and private sector growth. “
Among the bills passed… are those that seek to reform pension management in both the public service and military, and those that seek to enhance the growth and development of the private sector,” she noted. Among cited key legislative milestones such as amendments to laws governing taxation (including Income Tax, VAT, Excise Duty, Stamp Duty), reforms to the Public Service Pension Fund, and repeals of obsolete institutions like the Non-Performing Assets Recovery Trust and Uganda National Roads Authority.
She described these as crucial steps towards improving efficiency in service delivery and enabling private investment. The Speaker also revealed that Parliament had approved Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) — covering 2025/26 to 2029/30 — which she described as the country’s roadmap for transformation. She called it a strategic opportunity for Uganda to align its budget and governance priorities to sustainable development.
She urged President Museveni to unveil NDP IV symbolically before delivering the State of the Nation Address, marking what she called a “historic moment” as the 12th Parliament looms. A notable shift in legislative tradition was also highlighted — Parliament’s first-ever regional sitting in Gulu City in August 2024. The Speaker described this as a practical demonstration of inclusiveness, enabling MPs to address region-specific concerns while engaging directly with communities.
“We are optimistic that in the near future Parliament will hold another regional sitting that will cover other regions of the country,” she said, signaling intent to expand this model. Among emphasized Uganda’s growing presence on the international legislative stage, noting that Parliament had strengthened ties with regional and global legislative bodies such as the Pan-African Parliament, East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
She linked this to what she called Uganda’s “good standing among the international community of nations,” as evidenced by the strong foreign parliamentary presence at the State of the Nation ceremony. The Speaker acknowledged the two MPs who passed away during the fourth session — Sarah Mateke and Muhammad Ssegirinya — and promised that Parliament would continue to prioritize government business in line with constitutional mandates.
While she briefly mentioned internal political shifts among MPs, the Speaker made clear that the focus of the final session would be on completing legislative priorities tied to National Vision 2040, aimed at transforming Uganda into a modern, prosperous nation. “We undertake that the fifth session… will remain steadfast in effectively executing its mandate,” she affirmed-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
