All the parliaments Uganda has had since independence have largely been reduced to desks in the Governor’s office, in the chief minister’s office, and now in the President’s office. So it’s fair to say that parliaments have not been independent but rather appendages of the regime

Political observers suggest that Ugandans should place their hopes elsewhere, as Parliament has not functioned independently since Uganda gained self-governance.

They also expressed doubts about the potential effectiveness of challenging the National Coffee Amendment Bill in court, suggesting that it may offer little remedy.

For months, Ugandans, particularly coffee farmers and others involved in the coffee value chain, have been closely following Parliament’s proceedings.

In a dramatic showdown, just as the President had promised, the atmosphere in Parliament shortly before passing the National Coffee Amendment Bill was intense.

Scenes included MPs fighting, lights being switched off, journalists being expelled, and heavy security presence outside, raising questions about Parliament’s commitment to representing public interests.

Dr. Sam Kazibwe, a political analyst, commented that these events were unsurprising.

“All the parliaments Uganda has had since independence have largely been reduced to desks in the Governor’s office, in the chief minister’s office, and now in the President’s office. So it’s fair to say that parliaments have not been independent but rather appendages of the regime,” Dr. Kazibwe said in an interview.

He, along with Dr. Yusuf Sserunkuuma, observed that Uganda’s Parliament has never been truly independent, with the exception of two parliaments before independence.

“We had two vibrant parliaments: the Parliament of 1961, where Benedicto Kiwanuka served as Speaker and Apollo Milton Obote as Leader of the Opposition, and the one between 1962 and 1966 or 1964,” Dr. Kazibwe added.

Dr. Yusuf Sserunkuuma argued that “Parliamentary democracy and independence is a lie that Uganda has lived with since the colonial masters left.”

Both Kazibwe and Sserunkuuma predict little change in the future, with similar laws that lack popular support likely to continue being passed for the benefit of a select few.

“The state, by its very nature, is a group of elites lawyers and merchants who conspire to exploit their citizens. So if a Ugandan still has hope in this system, I pity them. The entire system is corrupt, from Parliament to the Judiciary to the Cabinet,” Dr. Sserunkuuma said.

They also suggested solutions for Uganda to overcome the challenges facing its parliamentary democracy. Kazibwe noted that in his book Parliamentary Democracy in Uganda: An Experiment that Failed, Baganchwera Barungi argued that Uganda has not met the basic tenets of parliamentary democracy.

Dr. Kazibwe recommended that Uganda needs a new constitution, as the amendments made to the 1995 constitution have rendered it inadequate for meeting the nation’s democratic aspirations.

The NRM government, however, insists it works for the people and that every decision, including the recent move to return the Uganda Coffee Development Authority to the Ministry of Agriculture, is made in their interest.