The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has opposed the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, describing it as a threat to civil liberties, political participation, and economic stability. The bill was tabled in Parliament on April 15th, 2026, by Gen David Muhoozi, the State Minister for Internal Affairs.

Speaking to the press at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, the FDC party president, Eng. Patrick Oboi Amuriat, said the legislation reflects a broader pattern of restrictive governance.

“This bill, like other laws that the NRM has made in the recent past, is designed to do one thing, to silence, imprison, and destroy the Ugandan people’s ability to speak, assemble, challenge power, and live in freedom,” Amuriat said.

He warned that ordinary Ugandans, especially those relying on diaspora support, would be directly affected.

“To the Ugandan mother in Masaka whose son sends money from London every month, under this bill, your son is a foreigner. You may need ministerial permission to receive money from him,” Amuriat noted.

Amuriat extended the warning to essential service providers, particularly in the health sector.

“To the nurse in Hoima whose hospital is funded by a foreign NGO, that funding may be capped, shut down, or subjected to Cabinet approval; the drugs you use; the equipment on which lives depend, all of it, hostage to one minister’s signature,” he said.

The FDC leader also highlighted the implications for media freedom, pointing to provisions that could criminalize journalism.

“To the journalist in Kampala, under Clause 13, if you publish information this government decides ‘damages the economic viability of Uganda,’ you face twenty years in prison. They can jail you for reporting the truth,” Amuriat added.

According to FDC’s legal team, several clauses violate the 1995 Constitution, including redefining diaspora citizens as foreigners and criminalizing opposition activity. The party further argued that the bill duplicates existing laws and risks economic disruption by restricting foreign funding.CC

“Clause 1 redefines over 1.5 million Ugandan citizens living abroad as foreigners, a direct violation of Articles 15 and 21 of the Constitution,” the team noted.

Amuriat further warned of economic disruption.

“The UGX 400 million annual funding cap will capture foreign investments, bank loans, research, grants, and diaspora remittances to trigger capital flight and economic collapse,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Anne Adeke Ebaju, the FDC Deputy President and Party Whip, is set to lead a delegation of party MPs to present formal objections to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Defense & Internal Affairs and Legal & Parliamentary Affairs.

The FDC party is calling for the bill’s complete withdrawal, urging Parliament and the public to reject it.