Members of Parliament-elect to Uganda’s 12th Parliament will be sworn in on May 13, 14, and 15, 2026, at Parliament House in Kampala, according to official parliamentary arrangements.
The swearing-in exercise is provided for under the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament, which require all elected representatives to formally take oath before assuming legislative duties.
Article 81 (4) of the Constitution states: “Every person elected to Parliament shall take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the oath of member of Parliament specified in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution.”
Clause 5 of the same article further provides that: “Except for the purpose of taking the oaths referred to in clause (4) of this article, no person shall sit or vote in Parliament before taking and subscribing the oaths.”
The Rules of Procedure of Parliament also reinforce the requirement for the administration of oaths before MPs-elect can take their seats.
Rule 3 (1) provides that: “Every member shall, before formally taking his or her seat in Parliament, take and subscribe in a manner prescribed by law, the oath of allegiance and oath of a member of Parliament as specified in the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution.”
Sub-rule 2 adds that, except for the purpose of taking the oaths, “a person shall not sit or vote in Parliament before taking and subscribing to the oath of allegiance and the oath of a member of Parliament.”
Sub-rule 3 further states that: “The Clerk shall administer the oaths referred to in sub-rule (1) prior to the first sitting of Parliament.”
The upcoming swearing-in will formally usher in members of the 12th Parliament, enabling them to participate in legislative proceedings, debates, and voting once they have taken the required oaths.
Parliament is expected to release detailed schedules assigning specific dates for different categories of MPs-elect during the three-day ceremony.
