A section of Members of Parliament has apologised to Ugandans over corruption and governance failures in the 11th Parliament, admitting they failed to adequately safeguard public resources and effectively exercise oversight.
Musa Noah led the apology during an interview at Parliament on 18 May 2026. Noah, a member of the Budget Committee, said key budgets, particularly that of the Parliamentary Commission, were handled in a manner that limited scrutiny.
“We really made a lot of mistakes, and I must render an apology to Ugandans,” Noah said. “We should have done more as the 11th Parliament. Though people often praise themselves, I think we did not do enough for the citizens.”
He questioned the transparency surrounding the Parliamentary Commission’s budget, saying it was treated as classified and therefore shielded from full committee oversight.
“I was on the Budget Committee, but I can tell you without fear that I actually don’t know the budget of the Parliamentary Commission,” he said. “It was turned into a classified budget. It was not discussed openly, and only a few officials handled it. There was no scrutiny, which was a very big mistake.”
Former MP Brandon Kintu described the 11th Parliament as “the epitome of corruption,” urging the incoming 12th Parliament to restore public trust and institutional integrity.
“This is the first Parliament where an outgoing presiding officer is under investigation,” Kintu said. “Parliament must be exemplary and a centre of justice.”
Fadil Twalla also weighed in, saying investigations into former Speaker Anita Among vindicated earlier warnings on corruption. He cited remarks linked to Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, arguing that anti-corruption messaging had been justified.
Noah further blamed entrenched leadership networks for weakening parliamentary accountability, saying some MPs were sidelined while decision-making was concentrated in a small inner circle. He welcomed the ruling NRM’s endorsement of Jacob Oboth for Speaker, describing it as a signal of dissatisfaction with the outgoing leadership.
“The management of our Parliament had problems,” Noah said. “This decision signals that a second term for some presiding officers was no longer possible, which is effectively a vote of no confidence.”
He also expressed concern about the conduct and lifestyle of some leaders, calling for a reset of parliamentary culture and stronger accountability mechanisms.
On oversight performance, Noah admitted that the ICT Committee failed to carry out field monitoring during the 2025/26 financial year and criticised what he described as poorly justified foreign travel.
“All over the financial year 2025/26, the ICT committee actually didn’t do anything,” he said. “Trips in the 11th Parliament have often been just for travel rather than work. This must be corrected so the institution regains its credibility.”
At the time of publication, security agencies had reportedly cordoned off several offices within Parliament, including the Speaker’s chambers on the 5th floor and the Clerk’s office, as investigations into corruption allegations continued.
