President Museveni has commended the 12th Parliament for conducting the election of its Speaker and Deputy Speaker in what he described as a peaceful and transparent manner, while warning that he will dismiss ministers who fail to deliver for the people they serve.
Addressing the first sitting of the 12th Parliament on Sunday, Museveni congratulated the newly elected Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Members of Parliament for overseeing what he termed a mature and orderly democratic process.
“The smooth exercise reflected the maturity of Parliament,” Museveni said.
The President, however, questioned the handling of invalid ballots during the election of the presiding officers, raising concerns about the interpretation of voter intention during the counting process overseen by the Chief Justice.
Museveni said some votes had been wrongly declared invalid despite the intention of the voter being clear.
“This is the reason we have had hundreds of invalid votes declared in general elections,” he said.
His remarks came after several ballots were rejected during voting for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, an issue that briefly generated debate inside the House.
Museveni pointed to the final results as evidence that the ruling National Resistance Movement continues to attract support beyond its own parliamentary caucus.
He noted that the newly elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker secured more votes than the total number of NRM MPs in the 12th Parliament, suggesting that legislators from outside the ruling party also backed the NRM candidates.
The President also expressed disappointment that Norbert Mao of the Democratic Party and Sarah Aguti Nyangkori of the Uganda People's Congress remained in the race despite their parties’ cooperation arrangements with the NRM.
“It is unfortunate that Mao of DP and Sarah Akut of UPC remained in the race and reduced some support for NRM in spite of being in the alliance with the NRM,” Museveni said.
The President’s comments appeared to underline growing frustrations within sections of the ruling establishment over the decision by allied political figures to challenge the NRM-backed candidates during the high-stakes parliamentary contest.
Looking ahead to the new parliamentary term, Museveni warned that he would take a tougher stance against leaders who fail to meet public expectations.
“In this term, I am going to be tough on leaders who betray the people they lead. I will sack all ministers who prove to be incompetent,” he vowed.
Museveni said government officials would increasingly be judged on service delivery and their ability to implement programmes aimed at improving household incomes and economic transformation.
The President also explained why he declined an invitation to attend celebrations marking Arsenal F.C.’s reported 2025/2026 Premier League triumph, saying he prioritised parliamentary responsibilities and national matters over ceremonial engagements.
On public health, Museveni urged Ugandans to remain vigilant and observe preventive measures against the Ebola outbreak, warning that the disease remains a serious threat if communities fail to follow health guidance issued by authorities.
The opening sitting of the 12th Parliament marked the formal beginning of a new five-year legislative term, with the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker forming the House’s first major business.
The new leadership now assumes office at a politically significant moment as government prepares to constitute a new Cabinet and set legislative priorities for the incoming administration.