Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda ahas sharply criticised Uganda’s proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, arguing that its true intent goes beyond what is written in the draft legislation and may be aimed at tightening political control through financial regulation.
Speaking during a live appearance on NBS Television on Thursday night, Ssemujju urged Ugandans and lawmakers to look beyond the text of the bill and interrogate the political motives driving it, warning that legislation can sometimes conceal deeper objectives.
“Intent matters more than content,” Ssemujju says
Ssemujju said that understanding any law requires examining both its wording and the intention behind it, cautioning that the Sovereignty Bill may not fully reflect its underlying purpose.
“If you want to understand the legislation of bills, you don't stop at the content. The intention is very important,” he said.
He added that what is currently written in the bill may not expose the full agenda of its sponsors, suggesting that the law could be designed to achieve outcomes not explicitly stated in the draft.
“What is written in the Sovereignty Bill may not go as far as revealing the intention of those behind the bill,” he noted.
“It is about money and political control”
The legislator argued that although the bill is framed as a tool to protect national sovereignty, its core focus is financial regulation—particularly the movement and control of money within political and civic spaces.
According to Ssemujju, Uganda already has several laws governing financial transactions, foreign funding, and money flows, making the proposed legislation unnecessary in his view.
“The Sovereignty Bill deals with the movement of money majorly. We already have many other laws regulating financing. There is no need for another law for that,” he said.
He further claimed that the real objective is to tighten control over political financing and limit independent sources of support for political actors and institutions.
“This bill is coming mainly to regulate political funding,” he added.
Sharp criticism of state control over resources
In one of his most striking remarks, Ssemujju suggested that the bill is part of a broader system in which state power is increasingly tied to financial control.
He accused President Yoweri Museveni of seeking to centralise financial influence across all sectors of society, arguing that access to money could become politically controlled.
“Mr Museveni wants to be the only source of money for everything,” Ssemujju said.
He claimed that under such a system, even different categories of citizens and professions would rely on the state for financial support.
“He must be the one to give MPs, clergy, and sex workers money. No one must be able to give Ugandans money,” he added.
Debate intensifies over Sovereignty Bill
Ssemujju’s remarks come amid growing public and institutional debate over the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, which is currently before Parliament.
The government argues that the proposed law is intended to safeguard Uganda from external influence by regulating foreign funding, monitoring entities considered “foreign agents,” and strengthening national security.
However, critics have raised concerns that the bill could significantly expand state oversight over individuals, NGOs, and organisations receiving external support, including Ugandans in the diaspora.
Concerns have also been raised over its potential impact on political activity, civil society operations, and financial freedoms.