The National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate for Speaker of the 12th Parliament, Paul Mwiru, has pledged to champion accountability, transparency, and people-centered leadership if elected to head Uganda’s Parliament.
Speaking during the official declaration of his candidature, Mwiru said his leadership would prioritize openness in parliamentary spending and strengthen oversight mechanisms to curb corruption and misuse of public funds.
“This is the Republic, and we assure Ugandans of a full disclosure policy,” Mwiru said. “We will publish Parliament’s outputs, agenda costs, and budget allocations so that members and the public can hold leadership accountable.”
Mwiru criticised what he described as unchecked supplementary budgets and misuse of public resources, saying lawmakers should be fully aware of how funds are allocated to various parliamentary activities.
“To stop cheating through supplementary budgets, all members will be aware of what has been allocated to specific activities so they can hold my leadership accountable,” he said.
The NUP-backed candidate stressed that Parliament, as the watchdog of public expenditure, must also be subjected to scrutiny by legislators and citizens alike.
“Parliament as the watchdog of public expenditure should also be watched by its own members and the public,” Mwiru added. “My leadership will be defined by accountability. Any form of corruption will attract severe sanctions.”
He further pledged to push for reforms in parliamentary rules and procedures aimed at strengthening transparency and restoring public trust in the institution.
“I will advocate for the adaptation of rules and procedures to ensure accountability and transparency,” he said.
Mwiru formally declared his bid for the Speakership on the promise of what he described as “accountable and people-centered leadership” for the next Parliament.
“Fellow members, I hereby formally declare my candidature for the Speakership of the 12th Parliament on the premise of accountable, people-centered leadership,” he said.
Mwiru’s declaration comes after he was officially endorsed by NUP earlier this week, with party leaders rallying support from opposition lawmakers and other political actors.
