A group of opposition legislators faces the risk of losing their parliamentary seats if they miss 14 sittings, according to Speaker Anita Annet Among.
Speaking during the plenary on November 14, 2023, Among emphasized that invoking Article 83 of the Ugandan constitution would apply if opposition members miss the plenary 15 times.
Advising against boycotts, she urged them to remain in the house to effectively engage in the political process. Macho Geoffrey of Busia Municipality echoed the sentiment, urging opposition members to return to Parliament rather than voicing concerns on the streets.
The opposition’s boycott, primarily led by National Unity Platform (NUP) members, began on October 10, 2023, in protest of the government’s handling of NUP leaders’ arrests.
The situation escalated as opposition leader Mathias Mpuuga demanded explanations for alleged abductions and human rights abuses.
According to article 83 of the Ugandan constitution, a member may lose his seat, if he or she misses 15 consecutive sittings without any written permission from the speaker, and s/he fails to offer satisfactory reasons for his or her absence from the parliament while it sat continuously.
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