Jacob Marksons Oboth (MP)

This evening, I graced the University Student Leaders’ Convention at Parliament under the theme, “The Role of University Student Leadership in Advancing National Development, Social Cohesion, Peace and Unity in Uganda.”
I was joined by Hon. Gerald Karuhanga, a former Guild President, the Clerk to Parliament, and student leaders from 65 universities and institutions of higher learning, alongside 10 secondary school coordinators.
I reminded them that President Yoweri Museveni, Hon. Karuhanga and many of us once sat where they sit today.
I told them what they do in that seat determines where they go because tudent leadership is a process, not a product.
I urged them to stay focused, whatever the hardships. Using my own story, I emphasized that they don’t need a godfather to get where they want to be; they only need God in their lives.
The students raised genuine concerns: inadequate accommodation, costly feeding, fairness in the student loan scheme, campus security, health and welfare, and road safety near institutions.
Parliament will consider these once we receive their written submission.

Parliament is your House. We shall host you every year and build a mentorship programme.

I thank the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre and the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy for their partnership.

Yesterday, I hosted the World Bank Country Manager for Uganda, Dr. Francisca Ayodeji Akala, and her team at my Chambers.

We were joined by the leadership of the Budget, Finance and Public Accounts (Central) committees, the Clerk to Parliament and the Director of Finance.

I commended the World Bank Group for its long-standing partnership with Parliament and reaffirmed our commitment to working with development partners to advance Uganda’s development priorities.

The Country Manager revealed that lengthy approval and procurement processes are taking close to 600 days, thereby stalling critical projects in Uganda.

For example, it was revealed during this meeting that the Electricity Access Scale-up Project has run since 2022/23, yet power has not reached the intended beneficiaries. This must be tackled by all stakeholders in order to bring services closer to our people.

I have therefore directed the relevant committees to engage Government and the Bank to resolve these bottlenecks, and I will convene a meeting with the Prime Minister, the World Bank Group and the relevant Government teams to look into this matter.

These projects benefit our nation, and any World Bank project delayed by lengthy red tape denies economic justice to our people.

Parliament is open to dialogue. We look forward to progress, not a stalemate.

Judicial officers, especially those of lower rank, face very complex situations that have a peculiar bearing on their welfare.

This afternoon, members of the Uganda Judicial Officers Association, led by Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, the Principal Judge, paid a courtesy call on me in the Speaker's Chambers.

Evidently, magistrates are the first point of contact between citizens and the justice system. But many work under difficult conditions. We cannot expect an institution to perform at its best when those who run it are not well facilitated.

I assured the delegation that welfare proposals, properly packaged and tabled, will receive Parliament’s due attention.

I commend UJOA for its Porridge Project, which offers remandees a cup of porridge during long court days, a simple act that upholds human dignity.

As a trained mediator, I welcome the Judiciary’s growing use of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Rolling out the Peace Centre nationwide will give more Ugandans access to timely, out-of-court justice.

Parliament remains firmly committed to strengthening the Judiciary and improving the welfare of all its officers.

Yesterday, I received the Whips of the 12th Parliament in my Chambers to talk about their work.

They included the Government Chief Whip, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng. Opposition Chief Whip Hon. Paul Mwiru, Hon. Ann Adeke Ebaju (FDC), Dr Eunice Otuko Apio (UPC) and Hon. Peter Okot (DP). They presented a proposal for more resources to support their work.

They are introducing two new areas. The first is field oversight and monitoring, so their offices can verify government programmes, infrastructure projects, and sector performance on the ground.

As they rightly said, when the President speaks about PDM and EMYOOGA, whips should have firsthand findings to contribute.

The second is community and humanitarian support for public outreach during regional tours and for the many people who come to their offices.
I agree that our whips need more support. Strong whips mean smooth House business and effective oversight.

This morning, I met a delegation from the National Private Educational Institutions Association–Uganda (NPEIA) at the Speaker's Chambers at Parliament, led by Hon. @MichealMawanda1 and the association’s executive. They raised pertinent issues about the status of private schools in the country.

During the meeting, we observed that private schools may be privately owned, but they offer a public service that complements government.
They run all our nursery schools, 73% of primary schools and 75% of secondary schools, and employ over 187,000 teachers. I cannot imagine Uganda’s education without them.

I was impressed that the proprietors were not asking for handouts. They are asking for a fair and predictable tax regime.
I support their call for a harmonised, single-tax system that ends the overlap between central and local government levies, and Parliament will carefully examine their proposals, including affordable credit through @UDB_Official. I also asked NPEIA to partner with the government in understanding why so many children drop out of primary school.

I look forward to joining them at their Regional Education Conference on 10th December to get to know them better and appreciate their contribution to our education sector. Together, we will build a stronger education system for every Ugandan child.