KAMPALA — Parliament has granted Buyaga West Member of Parliament Dennis Namara permission to introduce a Private Member’s Bill seeking to overhaul the process of electing and removing the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Parliament.
The proposed Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill seeks to change the current system where the Leader of Opposition is appointed by the largest opposition political party represented in Parliament.
Under Namara’s proposal, all opposition Members of Parliament would participate in electing the Leader of Opposition, a move he says would make the office more inclusive and representative of all opposition legislators.
Presenting his motion before Parliament on Wednesday, Namara argued that the existing arrangement gives one opposition party exclusive control over choosing the parliamentary opposition leader, leaving other opposition MPs without meaningful participation.
He said the proposed amendment would democratise the process and ensure that the person occupying the office enjoys broader support among opposition members.
The Bill also proposes new grounds for removing a Leader of Opposition from office. Besides the existing legal provisions, Namara wants incompetence and misconduct to be recognised as grounds for dismissal.
He argued that the changes would strengthen accountability, improve efficiency, and promote effective leadership within the opposition ranks.
The proposal triggered debate in Parliament, with Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba objecting to the motion on grounds that a similar Bill had previously been introduced during the 11th Parliament by Manjiya County MP Richard Lumu but was later withdrawn before reaching advanced stages.
However, Bugabula North MP John Teira dismissed the objection, arguing that the withdrawal of a Bill in a previous Parliament does not prevent another Parliament from considering similar legislation.
Teira cited the example of the Sexual Offences Bill, which was reintroduced in a later Parliament after an earlier attempt failed to become law.
With Parliament granting leave, Namara will now proceed to formally table the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill for its First Reading.
The proposed changes are expected to attract significant political debate, particularly among opposition parties, as they could fundamentally alter how the Leader of Opposition is selected and held accountable.
