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New Speaker Oboth Oboth
KAMPALA, Uganda — Newly elected Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth pledged Monday to lead a corruption-free, transparent and accountable legislature, unveiling seven key pillars to guide the 12th Parliament over the next five years.
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Delivering his inaugural address shortly after taking the speaker’s chair at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Oboth-Oboth called his election a reflection of “faithful and strategic patience” and credited divine grace for his rise from a rural village in Tororo District.
“For a boy who grew up in a rural village called Mwafu in Tororo District, who hustled to attain better education, and today stands before you as the speaker of the 12th Parliament, it could only be by divine grace,” he told lawmakers.
Oboth-Oboth reached out to legislators who did not back his candidacy, promising fairness and impartiality.
“To those who may not have voted for me, I will be your speaker too,” he said.
At the heart of his agenda, Oboth-Oboth placed the fight against corruption, declaring what he described as “absolute integrity and zero tolerance” for graft in Parliament. He said legislators must lead by example if Parliament is to effectively hold other government institutions accountable. He warned that Parliament cannot effectively supervise the Executive and government agencies if legislators themselves fail to uphold transparency in the management of public resources.
Oboth-Oboth said the 12th Parliament would exercise robust oversight over the Executive and public institutions, but stressed that this must be done fairly, objectively, and proactively. He called for a shift from reactive investigations to preventive monitoring of government programmes, saying parliamentary committees should intervene before public funds are lost, adding that oversight should not be a post-mortem activity.
The Speaker also pledged to promote research-driven debate in the House, insisting that parliamentary discussions must be grounded in facts, evidence, and sound data rather than rhetoric.
“Parliament will not be a theatre for hearsay or grandstanding,” he said. Oboth-Oboth said every bill, motion, and parliamentary decision under his leadership should directly address the needs of ordinary Ugandans, stressing that legislators must remain focused on serving the more than 48 million citizens they represent, rather than pursuing personal or partisan interests.
He also promised to champion what he called “results-based appropriation,” saying the budget process must prioritize measurable service delivery to citizens instead of becoming an exercise in “financial engineering.”
In a notable commitment to openness, Oboth-Oboth pledged to maintain a transparent and professional relationship with the media, describing journalists as an essential bridge between Parliament and the public. He said secrecy only fuels public suspicion and undermines confidence in Parliament. “When we close our doors to the media, a negative perception is generated. If we are clean and doing a good job, why hide?” he asked.
He said his leadership would encourage a robust and professional working relationship between Parliament and the press throughout the life of the 12th Parliament. Oboth-Oboth said the seven pillars of his leadership agenda are intended to restore public confidence in Parliament, which in recent years has faced criticism over allegations of corruption, expenditure concerns, and questions about accountability.
“I invite you to embrace these seven pillars to regain the public trust,” he told MPs. “I will remain the same Oboth-Oboth, not changed by the grandeur or majesty of the powerful office of the Speaker,” he added before calling legislators and parliamentary staff to serve with humility, dignity, and respect as the 12th Parliament begins its work.
Oboth-Oboth assumes office at a time of heightened public expectations for parliamentary reform, following intense debate over accountability, spending, and the conduct of legislators in the previous Parliament. His pledges now set a clear benchmark against which his leadership will be judged over the next five years.
, https://eastafricanwatch.net/new-uganda-speaker-oboth-oboth-vows-to-stamp-out-corruption-in-parliament-outlines-7-pillars/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-uganda-speaker-oboth-oboth-vows-to-stamp-out-corruption-in-parliament-outlines-7-pillars
