By Ben Musanje
The National Consultative Forum (NCF) has ruled out recognizing the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) as a political party, saying the political pressure group has not fulfilled the legal requirements for registration, even as its chairperson, Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, questioned a proposed law seeking to change the manner in which Uganda’s Leader of Opposition (LOP) is selected.
Kiwanda made the remarks on Friday while responding to questions from Members of Parliament during the induction seminar for the 12th Parliament at Speke Resort Munyonyo, where legislators sought the Forum’s position on a range of political and governance issues, including the status of PLU and the controversial proposal to amend the law governing the Office of the Leader of Opposition
The debate comes days after Buyaga West MP Denis Namara formally submitted a notice to Parliament seeking leave to introduce the Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend Section 8 of the Administration of Parliament Act, 2006.
According to the notice, the proposed amendment seeks to change the current arrangement under which the Leader of Opposition is appointed by the political party with the largest number of opposition MPs in Parliament. Instead, the Bill proposes that the Leader of Opposition be elected by all opposition and independent Members of Parliament.
Supporters of the proposal, many of whom are associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), argue that the amendment would democratise the process by allowing every opposition and independent legislator an equal vote in choosing the Leader of Opposition, rather than leaving the decision to a single political party.
The proposal has attracted significant political attention because the current legal framework allows the National Unity Platform (NUP), which commands the largest opposition bloc in Parliament, to nominate the Leader of Opposition, a position currently held by Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi.
Responding to concerns raised by legislators, Kiwanda said the National Consultative Forum had not yet formally considered Namara’s proposed legislation and had only learnt about it through media reports. He explained that the Forum would only adopt and communicate an official position after the proposal had been formally submitted to the appropriate organs for consideration.
Nevertheless, Kiwanda indicated that, in his view as chairperson of the Forum, the office of the Leader of Opposition should remain an office occupied by a member of the opposition and cautioned against introducing changes before resolving broader legal questions surrounding the status of independent Members of Parliament within Uganda’s multiparty political system.
He argued that Parliament first needed to define the constitutional and legal position of independent legislators before assigning them a role in electing the Leader of Opposition. He observed that with more than 60 independent MPs currently serving in Parliament, failure to clarify their status could create unintended consequences, including the possibility of independents determining or even occupying the office.
Kiwanda maintained that the National Consultative Forum would provide its formal opinion only after following the procedures established under the law, emphasizing that the Forum had not yet discussed the Bill.
The NCF chairperson also used the opportunity to dismiss suggestions that PLU should already be recognized among Uganda’s registered political parties amidst its current influence in the country.
After requesting Parliament’s Secretariat to display the official list of registered political parties, Kiwanda pointed out that Uganda currently has 27 legally recognized political parties and said PLU was not among them because it had not completed the registration process prescribed under the Political Parties and Organizations Act.
He explained that the Forum only recognizes legally registered political parties and that PLU would only become part of the list after successfully completing the registration process, at which point it would become Uganda’s 28th registered political party.
Kiwanda further argued that registering a political party in Uganda is a rigorous legal process and dismissed suggestions that it was easy for any political group to obtain registration.
He explained that applicants are required to secure support from at least 99 districts, complete with verified National Identification Numbers, before qualifying for registration. Because of these stringent requirements, he said Uganda has fewer registered political parties than several countries in the region despite operating under a multiparty political system.
He also defended Uganda’s constitutional commitment to multiparty politics, noting that the current political system is entrenched in the Constitution and can only be altered through a national referendum.
The NCF chairperson reiterated that the Forum remains committed to strengthening political parties and promoting dialogue among political actors, adding that a strong opposition remains an essential pillar of democratic governance because it provides checks and balances necessary for accountable leadership.
His remarks are expected to add a new dimension to the political debate surrounding Namara’s proposed legislation, which has already received backing from several PLU-leaning legislators.
Former PLU Secretary General and Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda has publicly confirmed that the legislative process is underway, saying the notice introducing the Bill had already been lodged before Parliament by Namara and Linos Ngompek.
The proposal, however, is expected to face legal and political scrutiny, with constitutional experts arguing that even if Parliament ultimately passes the amendment, it would not automatically affect the tenure of the current Leader of Opposition because legislation generally does not apply retrospectively unless Parliament expressly provides otherwise.
With the National Consultative Forum declining to recognize PLU as a political party and withholding its formal position on the proposed legislation pending official consideration, the contest over the future of the Leader of Opposition’s office is shaping up to be one of the first major constitutional and political debates of the 12th Parliament. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
