Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth has dramatically reduced the budget allocated to the Office of the Speaker, cutting it from more than Shs24 billion to Shs3.9 billion and channeling the remaining funds to parliamentary committees. The move, announced during celebrations marking Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja’s reappointment, is aimed at strengthening Parliament’s oversight role and restoring public confidence in the institution.
Oboth-Oboth declared that committees, which form the backbone of parliamentary accountability, must be properly funded to carry out investigations, field inspections, and oversight responsibilities without financial constraints. He emphasized that Parliament is undergoing a reset designed to return it to its original constitutional purpose.
The Speaker revealed that his office would operate on the reduced allocation and insisted that lawmakers seeking support should instead focus on utilizing resources directed to committees. According to him, Parliament must prioritize oversight functions over discretionary spending if it is to effectively serve Ugandans.
He argued that inadequate funding has left committees vulnerable to influence from ministries, departments, and government agencies they are mandated to scrutinize. In many cases, legislators have been forced to rely on the very institutions they are investigating, creating conditions that undermine accountability and transparency.
Delivering one of his strongest warnings yet, Oboth-Oboth described the practice of lawmakers seeking small financial favors from agencies under investigation as degrading and dangerous. He said such arrangements often compromise oversight efforts, especially when officials accused of mismanaging public funds use small payments to gain influence over parliamentary processes.
To eliminate these temptations, the Speaker directed that committee funding be made readily available to all parliamentary teams, regardless of leadership status. He maintained that lawmakers should never lack the resources necessary to perform their duties independently and professionally.
Oboth-Oboth also turned his attention to the long-delayed construction of Parliament’s new chamber, questioning how a project launched in 2014 remains incomplete despite consistent annual allocations. He noted that billions of shillings have continued to be budgeted for the project while substantial funds remain unused in Parliament’s accounts, suggesting that vested interests and demands for kickbacks are partly responsible for the delays.
Presenting himself as unafraid of confronting entrenched systems, the Speaker said his reforms mark a clear break from spending patterns that prioritized donations over oversight. With more than Shs20 billion now redirected to committees, the decision is expected to boost parliamentary scrutiny while reigniting national debate over how public funds within Parliament should be spent.
