Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, has issued a stern warning to cabinet ministers over persistent absenteeism from parliamentary sittings, declaring a policy of zero tolerance in her second term.
Speaking on June 10, 2026, during the official handover ceremony for ministers under the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Ms Nabbanja emphasized that public officials must be present in the August House to respond to urgent issues raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) and ensure that government business is effectively executed.
‘I want to commit that we shall not allow the absence of ministers in Parliament. Every ministry has got more than one minister, I believe, and now the President is very clear on this. The Government Chief Whip will be giving us a rota,’ Ms. Nabbanja said. of an era for dodging plenary
Ministerial absenteeism has been a recurring bottleneck in the 11th Parliament, frequently drawing the ire of the House leadership. On several occasions, presiding officers have been forced to prematurely adjourn parliamentary business because no frontbenchers were available to respond to national concerns.
The crisis previously prompted Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa to express open dissatisfaction, at one point directing the Government Chief Whip to “name and shame” persistent culprits.
To address the friction, Ms. Nabbanja promised a fresh, structured approach to managing government schedules in the House, resolving an administrative disconnect that plagued her previous tenure.
‘This time around, I will not tolerate anyone being absent. I don’t want to hear that a certain minister is away when they are on the Order Paper. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture has about five ministers; how can all of them be absent?’ the Prime Minister questioned.
‘We are going to engage with the Speaker to come up with an Order Paper. If a minister is away on official duties, we will not put that ministry on the Order Paper. This coordination was missing, but this time we shall see better alignment,’ she explained.
Driven by tenfold growth strategy
Ms Nabbanja noted that the chronic absence of ministers does more than stall parliamentary debate; it actively weakens accountability, delays government legislation, and undermines the oversight role of the legislature.
According to the Premier, total commitment from the front bench is vital as Uganda embarks on an ambitious economic transformation blueprint. The government’s immediate focus relies on implementing the Tenfold Growth Strategy, a long-term plan designed to expand Uganda’s economy from USD 69.3 billion to USD 500 billion by 2040.
The strategy is anchored on four pillars:
Agro-industrialisation
Tourism development
Mineral beneficiation
Science, technology, and innovation
‘We need each other and we shall support one another, I promise. We shall also work very closely with our technical officers, who should give us timely technical support and guidance,’ she added.
High scorecard amid policy bottlenecks
Despite the disruptions caused by absenteeism in the past, Ms. Nabbanja defended the government’s performance, revealing that her team achieved an average performance rate of 88% during her last term.
Providing a breakdown of the OPM’s legislative performance over the last five years, she highlighted that:
Government bills introduced stood at 82%.
Motions submitted reached 96%.
Written questions to the Prime Minister were responded to at a 99% rate.
Oral questions to ministers saw a 95% response rate.
Ministerial statements presented stood at 93%.
Action Taken reports stood at 98%, while Treasury Memoranda submitted by the Ministry of Finance achieved a 100% completion rate.
Additionally, she provided updates on the ongoing Cattle Restocking Programme in the Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions, revealing that by last week, 2,001 beneficiary households had received payments totaling Shs 10.05 billion, representing 20.5% of the total budget.
New cabinet blood
The ceremony marked the transition of power within the OPM as a reconfigured cabinet team took office. Incoming Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mr John Baptist Lokii, pledged to prioritize development and accelerate the government’s affirmative action agenda for the restive sub-region.
The reshuffled OPM team includes:
Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga: 2nd Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business
Hon. Sam Engola: Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness
Hon. Eng. Hillary Onek: Minister for General Duties
Hon. Jane Ruth Aceng: Government Chief Whip
Hon. Lokii John Baptist: Minister for Karamoja Affairs
Hon. Beatrice Akello: Minister of State for Northern Uganda Affairs
Hon. Anyakun Esther Davinia: Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs
Hon. Grace Mary Mugasa: Minister of State for Bunyoro Affairs