Parliament to revive Institute of Parliamentary Studies as Speaker Oboth prioritises capacity building
PARLIAMENT
Kampala,Uganda | The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth, has announced plans to re-establish the Institute of Parliamentary Studies as part of efforts to strengthen the knowledge, skills and capacity of Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff.
Speaker Oboth made the announcement during a meeting with Germany’s newly appointed Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Sigrid Sommer, who paid him a courtesy visit at Parliament.
According to the Speaker, the institute will provide an important platform for continuous learning, professional development and exposure for both legislators and staff.
“We are restarting our Institute for Parliamentary Studies to train, expose, and broaden the minds of our members and staff,” Speaker Oboth said.
The proposed revival is expected to strengthen Parliament’s institutional capacity by providing structured opportunities for members and staff to deepen their understanding of parliamentary procedures, legislation, research, governance and other areas relevant to their responsibilities.
The initiative also comes against the background of earlier efforts by Parliament to establish an Institute of Parliamentary Studies. In 2019, a Ugandan parliamentary delegation led by then MP Jacob Oboth Marksons undertook a benchmarking visit to Kenya’s Centre for Parliamentary Studies and Training while Parliament was processing the Institute of Parliamentary Studies Bill.
The renewed focus on parliamentary studies signals an emphasis on building a legislature whose members and technical staff have access to continuous training and knowledge-sharing opportunities.
During his recent engagements, Speaker Oboth has also highlighted the importance of parliamentary cooperation and capacity building. At the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, he discussed areas including parliamentary education, research, capacity building and information sharing as avenues for stronger cooperation between legislatures.
Ambassador Sommer, who is Germany’s Ambassador to Uganda, has said Germany remains committed to dialogue and forward-looking cooperation with Uganda.
The planned re-establishment of the Institute of Parliamentary Studies is therefore expected to provide Parliament with a dedicated mechanism for strengthening the professional development of legislators and staff while supporting knowledge exchange and institutional learning.
