By Guest Writer
NEW DELHI– The Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament Rt. Hon Jacob Marksons Oboth and his Russia has invited his Russian counterpart and his delegation to Uganda.
The Speaker said in closed talks with the Russian State Guma in New Delhi, India on Monday that the two countries share a long history that their parliaments should leverage.
The Speaker made the invitation during talks with the Russian delegation at the ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi on Sunday, on the sidelines of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum. The Russian side returned the invitation, asking Speaker Oboth to visit Moscow.
“Uganda and Russia enjoy a very deep historical relationship that dates back many years,” Speaker Oboth said, adding that Uganda wishes to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy with the Russian State Duma to enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Speaker was joined by Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition, Hon. Annet Katusiime Mugisha, Hon. Sowedi Ismail Mulemya, Hon. Betty Mpongo Nakisita and the Prof. Joyce Kikafunda, Uganda’s High Commissioner to India.
The Russian delegation included Deputy Chairmen of the State Duma Alexander Babakov of A Just Russia party and Vladislav Davankov of New People party; Vladimir Kashin of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; Nadezhda Shkolkina, first deputy chair of the Duma’s Committee on Economic Policy; and Russia’s Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov.
The Russians said the parliamentary track should support the relationship built by the Presidents of the two countries. “There are frequent meetings between the President of the Russian Federation and the President of Uganda, and they set a good basis for the development of future relations,” the Russian side said. They added that the State Duma would set up a group of deputies dedicated to relations with Uganda.
They noted that Deputy Chairman Babakov oversees the Duma’s work on energy, infrastructure, trade and construction.
Speaker Oboth said both Parliaments had much to share. “We believe there is a lot your Parliament can learn from us, and there is also a lot that we can learn from you,” he said.
He said he was not aware of any Russian Speaker having led a delegation to Uganda, and that the first to do so would make headlines at home.
Speaking of his own role, he joked that he had been Speaker only since May. “I am also a new Speaker,” he said. “So I am still learning how to relate with this very important man,” he added, gesturing towards the Leader of the Opposition.
Trade between the two countries is small and uneven. In 2024, Uganda imported goods worth $190.69 million from Russia, mostly wheat, and exported goods worth $39.30 million, mainly coffee. Russia supplied 83 percent of the wheat Uganda imported that year. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
