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By Spy Uganda
The government has revised key provisions of the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026, following mounting concerns from stakeholders over its scope and potential implications, particularly regarding Ugandans living abroad.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and Minister of State for Internal Affairs David Muhoozi returned to the Joint Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and Defence and Internal Affairs to present amendments after a series of consultations triggered public debate.
At the centre of the revisions is a reworked definition of the term “foreigner,” which had initially raised alarm over the possibility of Ugandans in the diaspora being classified as foreign agents.
Under the amended bill, a “foreigner” is now defined as a person or entity that engages in, supervises, finances or subsidises activities outlined in the legislation, and includes non-Ugandan citizens, foreign governments, diplomatic missions, corporations registered outside Uganda, as well as international and multinational organisations.
The changes come amid ongoing efforts by President Yoweri Museveni to reassure the public that the bill is not intended to interfere with legitimate economic activity or personal financial flows.
In a recent address, Museveni dismissed claims that the proposed law seeks to restrict foreign direct investment, diaspora remittances or religious funding, saying such interpretations misrepresent the intent of the legislation.
“Really, that is not the Bill I initiated,” he said, emphasizing that the core objective is to protect Uganda’s sovereignty in decision-making rather than to regulate private financial transactions.
The President framed the bill within the broader context of Africa’s historical struggle for self-determination, arguing that Uganda must safeguard its political, economic and social policies from undue external influence.
He maintained that while sovereignty is already enshrined in the Constitution, the proposed law seeks to strengthen protections against foreign interference, particularly through financial or institutional pressure.
Museveni also reiterated that Uganda remains committed to a free market economy, assuring citizens and investors that there are no plans to block capital inflows or restrict remittances from Ugandans abroad.
The revisions presented to Parliament appear to reflect an attempt by government to strike a balance between safeguarding national autonomy and addressing concerns from citizens, civil society and the diaspora community.
Parliamentary committees are expected to continue scrutinising the bill before it returns to the House for further debate, with lawmakers under pressure to ensure that the final law is both constitutionally sound and economically reassuring.
The evolving discussion around the Sovereignty Bill highlights the tension between national independence and global interconnectedness, a debate that continues to shape Uganda’s legislative and policy direction.
, https://www.spyuganda.com/finally-govt-revises-sovereignty-bill-after-public-concerns-clarifies-definition-of-foreigner/
