The Parliament of Uganda has announced that Members of Parliament-Elect to the 12th Parliament will be sworn in on 13, 14 and 15 May 2026 at Parliament House in Kampala.

According to Parliament, the exercise is provided for under the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament.

Article 81(4) of the Constitution states that, “Every person elected to Parliament shall take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the oath of member of Parliament specified in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution.”

Clause 5 adds that, “Except for the purpose of taking the oaths referred to in clause (4) of this article, no person shall sit or vote in Parliament before taking and subscribing the oaths.”

Additionally, the Rules of Procedure of Parliament also provide for the oath of allegiance and oath of a member of Parliament.

Rule 3(1) states that, “Every member shall, before formally taking his or her seat in Parliament, take and subscribe in a manner prescribed by law, the oath of allegiance and oath of a member of parliament as specified in the fourth schedule to the constitution.”

Sub rule 2 provides that except for purposes of taking oaths referred to in sub rule (1), a person shall not sit or vote in Parliament before taking and subscribing to the oath of allegiance and the oath of a member of parliament.

Sub rule 3 states that the clerk shall administer the oaths referred to in sub rule (1) prior to the first sitting of parliament.

The swearing-in ceremony is one of the constitutional requirements that officially clears the Member of Parliament-Elect to participate in parliamentary proceedings of Uganda’s 12th Parliament.