The President also recalled the close cooperation between Uganda and Tanzania, citing trade, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, the Murongo-Kyikagate mini-hydro project, roads in Tanzania, the Masaka-Bukoba transmission line and the Standard Gauge Railway, which has reached Isaka and is expected to extend towards Uganda and beyond.
According to Mukula, Uganda believes in the free and orderly movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the framework of regional laws and protocols, stating that it will continue to stand for the dignity of African brothers and sisters because Africa belongs to Africans.
Lumu was granted leave from Parliament to review the bill, a requirement in the House rules. This was during the regional plenary sittings held in Gulu city on August 29, 2024.
The Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2024, aims to modify provisions related to the election of the LoP and the approval processes for Shadow Cabinet appointments. This has intensified concerns among the opposition members, describing the committee's handling of the bill as supersonic.
As Lumu continues to gather input from various stakeholders, the outcome of these consultations could significantly impact the future of the LOP's election process in Uganda's Parliament.
The controversial bill has since attracted comments from different political analysts in the media, where some have maintained that the bill is set to promote democracy while others have stressed that it’s a blank cheque to the NRM party to antagonize the opposition.
The 11th parliament of Uganda, sitting in Gulu City, has granted leave to Richard Lumu, the Democratic Party MP for Mityana South, to present a private member’s bill, allowing all opposition MPs to participate in the election of their Leader of Opposition and Chief Opposition Whip.