Speaker Oboth calls for coordinated planning to strengthen Parliament’s performance

By Our Reporter

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth has called for coordinated planning, budgeting and implementation of Parliament’s legislative, oversight and representation functions, urging programme partners to translate review recommendations into practical action that improves service delivery to Ugandans.

Oboth made the remarks on Thursday, October 22, 2026, during the annual review workshop for the Legislation, Oversight and Representation (LOR) Programme for the 2025/2026 financial year held at Parliament.

He said the programme must be planned, funded, implemented and measured as one entity to ensure that Parliament’s work translates into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.

“The LOR Programme exists to serve the people of Uganda. When we enact good laws, scrutinise how public resources are used, and speak for our constituents, we turn the promises of government into real change in people’s lives,” Oboth said.

He described the workshop, the first annual review under the 12th Parliament, as an important opportunity to assess the programme’s performance during the first year of implementing the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and the Government’s Tenfold Growth Strategy.

Oboth challenged participants to examine whether laws at national and local government levels were being enacted on time, parliamentary oversight was delivering the expected results, and citizens’ concerns were being adequately considered during the appropriation process.

He outlined three priorities for improving the programme: treating it as one entity under the Government’s Programme-Based Planning and Budgeting system, strengthening ownership among all partners and programme actors, and promoting evidence-based implementation through reliable data, clear performance indicators and timely reporting.

“We must also strengthen coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister, the National Planning Authority and the other programme actors, so that the recommendations of the LOR Programme translate into better services for citizens,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa said the review had assessed the programme from several perspectives, including its alignment with NDP IV and the Tenfold Growth Strategy, its institutionalisation and implementation, and its overall performance during the 2025/2026 financial year.

He said contributions from participants, including an assessment by the Office of the Prime Minister, would help identify areas requiring improvement and strengthen programme delivery.

Tayebwa emphasised the need for programme partners to adopt a coordinated approach to planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting on expected results.

“Two messages stand out first. First, the programme should plan, budget, implement and report on expected results correctively. Secondly, the programme belongs to all its partners and programme actors; and each of us must play our part in delivering on this programme implementation action plan for financial year 2025/2026 to financial year 2030,” Tayebwa said.

He urged the programme secretariat to consolidate proposals from the workshop and ensure they inform implementation of the action plan as well as the next planning and budgeting cycle.

“The recommendations from this workshop must now be turned into action,” he said, calling on participants to take the commitments made during the review back to their respective institutions and ensure they are implemented.

Tayebwa also thanked the Clerk to Parliament, the Parliamentary Commission, presenters, facilitators, the National Planning Authority and the Office of the Prime Minister for their contributions to the review process.

Both leaders urged participants to use the annual review to strengthen implementation of the LOR Programme and improve Parliament’s delivery of its three core mandates: legislation, oversight and representation.