A governance scholar and Catholic priest, Fr. Charles Oyo, has petitioned Parliament seeking the withdrawal or major amendment of the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, warning that the proposed law threatens constitutional rights, civic space, and Uganda’s governance framework.
In the petition dated April 24, 2026, and addressed to the Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney General, and other key state actors, Fr. Oyo argues that the Bill, in its current form, “does not achieve” its stated objectives but instead risks undermining democracy and criminalising ordinary civic activity.
Fr. Oyo, a researcher at Uganda Martyrs University and a diocesan priest in Fort Portal, grounds his petition in constitutional provisions that guarantee citizen participation in governance.
He writes that he is acting under Article 1 and Article 38 of the Constitution, which affirm that power belongs to the people.
At the centre of his objection is the Bill’s redefinition of sovereignty.
He contends that while the Constitution places sovereignty in the hands of citizens, the proposed law shifts that power to the Executive.
He also appeals to Members of Parliament, to reject the Bill in its current form, warning that its impact would be felt across communities’ dependent on development partnerships and civic engagement.
The Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, was gazetted earlier this month and has since sparked debate among legal experts, civil society, and religious leaders over its potential implications for governance and freedoms in Uganda.
By URN
Leave a Reply