Guide to MPs’ swearing-in ceremony

day after the swearing-in of the President, the Parliament of Uganda commences the swearing-in of its newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs). Over 500 legislators of the 12th Parliament, will take the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Member of Parliament in three days running from May 13 to 15 at Parliament in Kampala.

This requirement is enshrined in Article 81(4) of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, which states that 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” before sitting or voting in the House. The swearing-in sessions will run from 8am to 1.30pm, with afternoon sessions scheduled from 2pm to 6.30pm each day. MPs-elect will be sworn in following alphabetical order.

According to a notice from the Clerk to Parliament, Mr Adolf Mwesige, each MP-elect was issued an invitation card, programme booklet and biodata form. On the day of swearing in, filled-in biodata forms may be returned to Room 112, First Floor, South Wing or handed in at the Registration Desk. Each MP-elect shall be accompanied by only three people, while members with disabilities are granted one additional person as an aide.

Each MP-elect is required to follow the schedule and advised to keep time. After swearing in, each MP-elect will be provided with the Constitution, the primary legal document that guides their legislative, oversight and representative duties, as well as the Rules of Procedure of Parliament. The Rules of Procedure of Parliament is a handbook outlining how Parliament conducts business, which is essential for newly sworn-in members to learn how to conduct themselves, the language to use and the code of ethics.

The Parliament Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Mr Chris Obore, told this publication that all was set for the swearing-in ceremony. He added that in case a member misses their allocated session, they are required to notify the Clerk to Parliament and can be sworn in at a later date by the Speaker. The swearing-in ceremony marks the official beginning of the legislators’ mandate and clears the way for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, as well as the commencement of business for the 12th Parliament.

Of the at least 500 MPs to be sworn in, 353 are directly elected constituency MPs, 146 District Woman Representatives and 30 representatives from special groups including the Youth, Elders, Workers, Persons with Disabilities and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).