Members of Parliament-elect to Uganda’s 12th Parliament will officially take oath between May 13 and 15, 2026, at Parliament House in Kampala, marking the formal beginning of the new parliamentary term.
The swearing-in exercise is in line with the Constitution of Uganda and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, which require all elected legislators to take the oath of allegiance and oath of office before assuming parliamentary duties.
According to Article 81(4) of the Constitution, every elected Member of Parliament must “take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the oath of member of Parliament” as provided in the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution.
The law further bars any MP-elect from sitting or voting in Parliament before taking the prescribed oaths.
Clause 5 of the same Article states that, except for purposes of taking the oath, no person shall participate in parliamentary proceedings without first subscribing to the required declarations.
The Rules of Procedure of Parliament also reinforce the constitutional requirement. Rule 3(1) provides that every member must formally take the oath before occupying their seat in the House.
Sub-rule 2 similarly prohibits MPs-elect from sitting or voting before completing the swearing-in process, while sub-rule 3 mandates the Clerk to Parliament to administer the oaths before the first sitting of Parliament.
The exercise is expected to usher in both returning and newly elected legislators following the 2026 general elections.
The opening of the 12th Parliament comes at a time when the country is preparing for a new legislative cycle expected to focus on governance reforms, economic recovery, public debt management, service delivery, and politically contentious debates that emerged during the election period.
Parliament House is expected to host hundreds of guests, including family members of MPs-elect, political party officials, diplomats, and senior government representatives during the three-day exercise.
The swearing-in also clears the way for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, key processes that traditionally shape the political direction and power dynamics within the House for the next five years.
