Uganda: Parliament Moves to Curb Long MP Trips, Tayebwa Announces Seven-Day Limit

What the report says

Uganda’s Parliament is moving to restrict the length of official travel taken by lawmakers, with Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa saying Members of Parliament will not be allowed to undertake trips lasting more than seven days. The announcement, reported by Nile Post and distributed by AllAfrica, was made in Entebbe during the closing of induction programmes for Government Whips and members of the Committee on Government Assurances and Implementation.

According to the report, the change is being framed as part of a wider push for more prudent spending and stronger accountability in Parliament. Tayebwa also urged MPs to focus less on making broad recommendations and more on following up whether government promises are actually delivered. He told the oversight committee to set clear monitoring timelines and avoid relying on vague responses from public agencies.

The article says Tayebwa also pressed lawmakers to cut back on lobbying for funding for foreign trips and to adopt a more cost-conscious approach this term. He encouraged sectoral committees to concentrate on budgets, work plans and performance, while avoiding overlap with accountability committees. Government Chief Whip Jane Ruth Aceng emphasized coordination and teamwork, while committee chair Francis Zaake raised concerns about absenteeism and weak follow-through.

The broader context is that parliamentary oversight and travel spending are recurring issues in many legislatures, especially where public budgets are tight. In this case, the reported seven-day cap signals an effort by Uganda’s parliamentary leadership to tighten internal discipline and improve the practical monitoring of government commitments.