Petition Parliament with your evidence – Speaker Oboth

What the report says

Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has urged researchers to formally bring Parliament evidence showing where scientific research is not influencing policy. Speaking at Kyambogo University on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during a Science Meets Parliament dialogue organized by the AgriFoSe2030 Uganda Hub, he said lawmakers would examine the causes of the gap, identify responsibility and seek accountability.

Oboth said Uganda has enough policies, expertise and research institutions, but that the challenge lies in turning research into decisions, budgeting and implementation. He encouraged scientists to move beyond academic findings and present practical proposals that can be used by policymakers. He also said Parliament could use its committees, oversight role and legislative and budget powers to help remove barriers to the use of research.

The event took place under the theme of strengthening the link between science, policy and practice for agricultural transformation. Kyambogo University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eli Katunguka said the university has supported research through internal grants and government funding, but pointed to understaffing in public universities and difficulty retaining highly trained engineers. He proposed a parliamentary science-policy dialogue platform and a Centre of Excellence for Science Translation.

AgriFoSe2030 Programme Director Prof. Elisabeth Rajala said the initiative, which is led by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and funded by Sida, works through regional hubs in Uganda, Kenya and Zimbabwe. She said research must be translated into usable form for policymakers, farmers and communities if it is to have practical impact.