Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has announced plans to re-establish Uganda’s Institute of Parliamentary Studies (IPS), restoring a specialised institution intended to strengthen the knowledge, skills and capacity of legislators and parliamentary staff.
Oboth made the announcement during a meeting with Germany’s new Ambassador to Uganda, Sigrid Sommer, who paid him a courtesy visit at Parliament.
“We are restarting our Institute for Parliamentary Studies to train, expose, and broaden the minds of our members and staff,” Oboth said.
The Speaker said the revived institute would serve as a central platform for parliamentary training, research and capacity building, with technical cooperation from the German Parliament expected to form part of the initiative.
“Through cooperation with the German Parliament, we will learn and unlearn, adopt best practices, and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy,” he said.
Ambassador Sommer welcomed the proposed cooperation, saying parliamentary exchanges could provide mutual benefits while enabling Germany to deepen its understanding of Uganda, East Africa and the wider African continent.
From Kadaga Institute to Parliamentary Service
The proposed revival comes after significant changes to the institute during the tenure of former Speaker Anita Annet Among.
The Institute of Parliamentary Studies had been elevated into a semi-autonomous institution under the Institute of Parliamentary Studies Act, 2020, which established the Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga Institute of Parliamentary Studies as a government agency under the supervision and control of the Parliamentary Commission.
The law provided for the institute to conduct courses aimed at enhancing the knowledge, skills and experience of members and staff of Parliament and other legislatures, including local government councils. It was also mandated to support parliamentary research, studies and training.
However, in 2021, Parliament passed amendments that repealed the Institute of Parliamentary Studies Act, 2020, removed the name Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga from the institution and returned its functions to the Parliamentary Service. The changes were passed while Among was Deputy Speaker and later became Speaker.
The reform was presented at the time as part of a rationalisation exercise aimed at reducing government expenditure on semi-autonomous agencies.
A return to specialised parliamentary training
The institute has its roots in Parliament’s efforts to provide structured training for legislators and parliamentary staff.
Its functions have included induction and continuing training for Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff and local government councillors, as well as capacity building in areas such as governance, democracy, financial management, procurement and public policy.
The 2020 law specifically described the institution as a specialised centre for parliamentary education, research and capacity development.
The institute was also intended to preserve and transmit parliamentary knowledge while providing research and training facilities, including through collaboration with institutions of higher learning.
The institution had previously been launched as the Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga Institute of Parliamentary Studies in February 2021, with a mandate to provide continuous training and induction to legislators and parliamentary staff.
Oboth’s announcement therefore signals a renewed emphasis on specialised parliamentary capacity building under the 12th Parliament.
The Speaker’s proposal also fits into his broader programme of institutional reform and strengthening parliamentary relations with other legislatures. In September, Oboth held talks with the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, as part of efforts to draw lessons from the Westminster parliamentary system and strengthen Uganda’s legislative institutions.
With German parliamentary cooperation now being considered, the revived institute could provide a formal platform for legislators and parliamentary staff to access international experience, research and professional development.
Oboth did not, however, give a specific date for the formal re-establishment of the institute or clarify whether it would again operate as a semi-autonomous statutory body or as a specialised department within the Parliamentary Service.
The move comes as the 12th Parliament, elected in 2026, begins implementing new institutional priorities under Oboth’s leadership. He was elected Speaker on May 25, 2026, succeeding Among.
