Uganda: President Returns Two Bills for Reconsideration

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has returned the National Commission for UNESCO (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the Higher Education Students Financing (Amendment) Bill, 2024  to Parliament for reconsideration.

In a letter read by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa at the sitting of the House on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, Museveni said that the National Commission for UNESCO Bill establishes a department instead of a unit which he adds is contrary to the public service practice where a ministry refers to a set of formal arrangements including the structures established administratively with Cabinet approval.

“Section (4) of the amendment act provides that on the commencement of this act shall be re-established as the department in the Ministry responsible for Education without corporate status, “the President states in his letter adding that, ’the implication therefore, would be that instead UNATCOM is established as a legal entity but without corporate status’.

The President added that the amendment act continues with the terminology of a commission in the long title arguing that it can cause legal confusion. He called for the reconciliation of the two to promote consistency and avoid misrepresentation.

On the Uganda Higher Education Student’s Financing (Amendment) Act, 2024, Museveni called for reconsideration of the title.

According to President Museveni, the title is different from the one stated under Section 5 of the Higher Education Standards (Amendment) Act.

Tayebwa referred the Bills to the Committee on Education and Sports for reconsideration.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.