{"id":121905,"date":"2026-04-11T11:39:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T11:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill"},"modified":"2026-04-11T11:57:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T11:57:33","slug":"matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill","title":{"rendered":"Matembe Raises Alarm over Controversial Sovereignty Bill"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. <\/strong><\/span>Human rights advocate Miria Matembe has warned that the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 could significantly harm Uganda\u2019s economy, undermine constitutional rights, and disrupt family livelihoods, particularly those dependent on diaspora support.<\/b><\/p>\n

Matembe was speaking to the media on Thursday in Kampala, where she criticised key provisions of the Bill, describing it as overly restrictive and potentially damaging to Uganda\u2019s global standing and internal socio-economic stability.<\/p>\n

She said the proposed legislation resembles stringent foreign agent laws seen in countries such as Russia, rather than more limited regulatory frameworks like the Foreign Agents Registration Act in the United States.<\/p>\n

According to Matembe, the Bill introduces sweeping criminal penalties, including lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines, for individuals and entities deemed to have foreign links\u2014measures she warned could alienate international partners.<\/p>\n

Such provisions, she argued, risk triggering what she termed \u201caid fatigue,\u201d potentially reducing development assistance and affecting delivery of public services.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe implications of this bill go beyond regulation; they threaten the quality of life of ordinary Ugandans,\u201d Matembe said.<\/p>\n

A major concern, she noted, is the Bill\u2019s treatment of Ugandans living abroad. Provisions that classify members of the diaspora as \u201cforeigners,\u201d she said, contradict the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, which recognises citizenship rights, including dual nationality.<\/p>\n

She warned that additional requirements, such as mandatory income disclosures for Ugandans seeking employment abroad, could discourage international labour mobility and economically isolate the country.<\/p>\n

Matembe also highlighted the potential disruption of diaspora remittances\u2014one of Uganda\u2019s largest sources of foreign exchange\u2014as a critical risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis bill criminalises the act of sending money for school fees, medical bills and general welfare,\u201d she said, cautioning that many families could face sudden financial distress.<\/p>\n

She added that remittances support small businesses and construction projects that sustain millions of jobs, warning that any disruption could trigger widespread job losses and economic contraction.<\/p>\n

The Bill\u2019s requirement for ministerial approval of foreign grants, loans, or investments exceeding Shs400 million also drew sharp criticism.<\/p>\n

Matembe described the provision as a \u201cbureaucratic choke point\u201d that could discourage foreign direct investment and disrupt financial systems, including mobile money services widely used across the country.<\/p>\n

She further raised concerns about the impact on Uganda\u2019s creative sector, warning that artists earning income from international digital platforms risk being labelled as foreign agents, exposing them to severe penalties including imprisonment, heavy fines, or even loss of citizenship.<\/p>\n

Religious institutions, she added, could also face intrusive state oversight despite their reliance on foreign support to provide essential services such as education and healthcare.<\/p>\n

Matembe criticised provisions allowing warrantless inspections, describing them as a threat to privacy and freedom of worship.<\/p>\n

On the economic front, she argued that discouraging foreign investment and reducing remittance inflows would shrink the tax base, worsen fiscal pressures, and potentially lead to increased taxation in the 2026\/27 financial year.<\/p>\n

Retired Diplomat and human rights activist Edith Grace Ssempala echoed similar concerns, focusing on the Bill\u2019s potential impact on families and rural communities.<\/p>\n

Ssempala said the proposed classification of diaspora Ugandans as \u201cforeigners\u201d or \u201cagents\u201d would disproportionately affect ordinary citizens who depend on support from relatives abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis does not concern just middle-income people. It concerns everyone,\u201d she said. \u201cIn my village, I know very poor families who depend on their children abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n

She noted that Ugandans working in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, and Malaysia provide critical financial support that sustains households across the country.<\/p>\n

Ssempala questioned the rationale behind labelling such individuals as foreign actors, arguing that it unfairly penalises citizens supporting their families and undermines national cohesion.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre they now going to be agents, or foreigners?\u201d she asked. \u201cIt is self-defeating, and one cannot understand the motivation. There is no logic.\u201d<\/p>\n

She warned that the impact of the Bill would extend beyond urban centres, hitting rural areas hardest, where remittances often fund education, healthcare, and daily survival.<\/p>\n

Both activists called on the Parliament of Uganda to reject the Bill, urging lawmakers to consider its broader implications on economic stability, constitutional rights, and social welfare.<\/p>\n

Matembe also called on the media to play a greater role in simplifying and scrutinising the proposed law to ensure public understanding, while urging the diaspora to engage international partners and defend their rights.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo Ugandan citizens, this is your country,\u201d she said, encouraging public participation through petitions and direct engagement with legislators.<\/p>\n

She concluded that the Bill signals a shift away from participatory governance toward centralised control, warning that it threatens democratic principles enshrined in Uganda\u2019s legal framework.<\/p>\n

\u201cUganda\u2019s sovereignty belongs to its people, not state agents,\u201d Matembe said. \u201cThis bill must be rejected in its entirety.\u201d<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Uganda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Uganda. Human rights advocate Miria Matembe has warned that the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 could significantly harm Uganda\u2019s economy, undermine constitutional rights, and disrupt family livelihoods, particularly those dependent on diaspora support. Matembe was speaking to the media on Thursday in Kampala, where she criticised key provisions of the Bill, describing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":121904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[234],"class_list":["post-121905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-uganda"],"yoast_head":"\nMatembe Raises Alarm over Controversial Sovereignty Bill - Uganda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Human rights advocate Miria Matembe has warned that the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 could significa ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Matembe Raises Alarm over Controversial Sovereignty Bill\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Human rights advocate Miria Matembe has warned that the proposed Protection of Sovereignty Bill, 2026 could significa ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Uganda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-11T11:39:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-11T11:57:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2026\/04\/sm_1775896025.495348.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"852\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Matembe Raises Alarm over Controversial Sovereignty Bill\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-11T11:39:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-11T11:57:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\"},\"wordCount\":793,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/uganda\/sites\/34\/2026\/04\/sm_1775896025.495348.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"uganda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/uganda\/all-news\/matembe-raises-alarm-over-controversial-sovereignty-bill\",\"name\":\"Matembe Raises Alarm over Controversial Sovereignty Bill - 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