Parliament has scheduled a series of special sittings beginning Tuesday, July 14, 2026, to allow all 527 Members of Parliament to deliver their maiden speeches during the opening weeks of the 12th Parliament.
Each legislator will be allocated three uninterrupted minutes to make their first formal contribution on the floor of the House, following a decision by the Business Committee aimed at giving every MP an equal opportunity to address Parliament.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa announced the arrangement during plenary, saying parliamentary leadership had agreed that every member should have a chance to speak without interruption.
He said the speeches are expected to focus primarily on President Yoweri Museveni’s State of the Nation Address and the Alternative State of the Nation Address presented by the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, on July 8.
However, Tayebwa clarified that members would not be restricted to those subjects alone. Legislators may also use the opportunity to raise concerns affecting their constituencies, outline their legislative priorities, or formally introduce themselves to the House.
“If you want to use the time for greeting your constituents, that will be entirely on you,” Tayebwa told MPs.
Although each speech is limited to three minutes, the exercise is expected to take several days to complete. With time needed for procedural guidance from the Speaker, transitions between speakers, points of order and adjournments, Parliament is likely to dedicate at least four to five sitting days to the maiden speeches.
The Deputy Speaker also revealed that the Business Committee had agreed to revive business that lapsed when the 11th Parliament was dissolved ahead of the 2026 General Election.
He said a motion will be tabled next week by one of the parliamentary commissioners seeking approval to reinstate pending business. Parliament will also receive the legacy report of the 11th Parliament.
Among the matters expected to return to the House are outstanding Auditor General’s reports, committee reports, bills and other legislative business that was not concluded before the dissolution of the previous Parliament.
Tayebwa noted that only about 100 of more than 500 Auditor General’s reports had been processed before the 11th Parliament ended its term, leaving a substantial backlog for the new House to consider.
Maiden speeches are a longstanding parliamentary tradition in Uganda and across many Commonwealth legislatures. They provide newly elected and returning MPs with their first formal opportunity to address Parliament, thank voters and outline the issues they intend to champion during their five-year term.
First-time legislators often use the occasion to share their journey to Parliament and highlight development priorities in their constituencies, while returning members typically focus on broader national policy issues and legislative reforms.
The debates also serve as Parliament’s first comprehensive policy discussion after the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the swearing-in of members and the President’s State of the Nation Address, offering an early indication of the priorities likely to shape the legislative agenda of the 12th Parliament.
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