President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday praised National Resistance Movement (NRM) members of parliament for passing the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, and urged the public to view the legislation as a safeguard of Uganda’s right to self‑determination. The bill, which has attracted considerable public scrutiny over its potential impact on civic participation and governance, now awaits the president’s assent before becoming law.
The 11th Parliament approved the bill after a contentious debate and the amendment of several clauses ahead of the decisive Tuesday sitting. Critics argue that some provisions could disenfranchise citizens and limit democratic engagement, while government officials maintain that the law is intended to protect Uganda’s policy independence from external influence.
In a statement posted on his official social media accounts, Museveni congratulated NRM MPs for what he described as a “principled decision” and framed the legislation as a defence of national sovereignty. He warned that foreign interference in Uganda’s internal affairs is “dangerous” and cited historical examples, including alleged foreign support for Idi Amin’s 1971 coup, to illustrate the risks of external involvement.
The president reiterated that the bill does not target foreign investment, diaspora remittances, or private‑sector operations. He emphasized that sovereignty, in his view, means the exclusive right of Uganda to make political, economic and diplomatic decisions without outside manipulation. Museveni quoted former Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere, stating that independence includes “the right to make our own mistakes if necessary and learn from them.”
The Protection of Sovereignty Bill is positioned by the government as part of a broader Pan‑African struggle for independence and self‑determination. It seeks to codify Uganda’s ability to pursue its own policy choices, even when those choices may be contested domestically or internationally.
With parliamentary approval secured, the bill now proceeds to the final stage of the legislative process: presidential assent. The outcome will determine whether the legislation is formally incorporated into Ugandan law, a development that will continue to attract attention from both national stakeholders and the international community.
