What you need to know:
- Speaking on the scope of the two-week validation exercise, Ms. Susan Abeja, a Commissioner of Parliament and chairperson of the Human Resources Committee, explained that while the primary goal is to address administrative mismatches and eliminate forged credentials, individuals who present genuine qualifications will not be arbitrarily dismissed.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has assured staff of the Parliamentary Service that the ongoing validation exercise is not a witch-hunt aimed at pushing employees out, but rather a routine process designed to restore integrity, meritocracy, and morale within the institution.
Addressing the country via a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Speaker Oboth sought to calm rising anxieties among House staff following the launch of a comprehensive physical headcount, document verification, and skills audit at the August House.
“I have seen some reports in the media about the ongoing validation exercise of the staff of the Parliamentary Service. There is no panic. There's bliss! For fairness and transparency, I requested the assistance of the Head of Public Service because Parliamentary service is indeed Public Service,” Speaker Oboth stated.
He added: “It is not the interest of the new leadership of Parliament to see anyone lose a job. The nation should not overthink this. Everyone should take it easy and keep serving. What we are doing is a simple exercise of restoring morale, integrity and sanity in the parliamentary service.”
The Speaker emphasized that growth within the service must align with appropriate qualifications and experience, comparing public service progression to a fair race where everyone begins from the same starting line. He urged employees to remain calm and go about their duties normally as the process unfolds.
The Speaker's reassurance came as the Parliamentary Commission kicked off the vetting of academic credentials and employment records for all staff of the Parliamentary Service. Early Monday morning, dozens of employees gathered at Parliament Conference Halls A and B to submit their documents to the verification team.
The verification panel was led by Speaker Oboth, accompanied by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi, and other members of the Parliamentary Commission.
The headcount and audit follow a turbulent period for the 11th Parliament, which faced public criticism over allegations of recruitment irregularities, abuse of office, nepotism, and financial misconduct, largely highlighted during civic-led public exposures. Subsequent actions by security agencies saw investigations, arrests, and prosecution of several former officials and staff members.
Speaking on the scope of the two-week validation exercise, Ms. Susan Abeja, a Commissioner of Parliament and chairperson of the Human Resources Committee, explained that while the primary goal is to address administrative mismatches and eliminate forged credentials, individuals who present genuine qualifications will not be arbitrarily dismissed.
Ms. Abeja clarified that employees with forged academic certificates will face immediate dismissal to pave the way for qualified Ugandans, while those who received accelerated or irregular promotions will be redeployed to positions that match their genuine competencies.
“Those who had their promotion accelerated will not be chased out of the institution, but placed where they are fit to be,” Ms. Abeja said, adding that proper placement is essential to restoring harmony in the workplace. “We really want harmony in the workplace. A junior person working on top of a senior person demoralises.”
Ms. Abeja noted that out of the approved staffing structure of 906 positions, Parliament currently has 826 employees on its payroll, leaving 90 vacant posts. She noted that the exercise will also help identify potential ghost workers through physical verification, ensuring the institution operates on a clean slate.
Supporting the initiative, Manjiya County Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Commissioner John Baptist Nambeshe noted that the new leadership inherited significant staffing challenges that required immediate correction.
“We inherited a staff that had serious challenges with bloated recruitment... We, the new Commission, would like the Speaker to start from a new factory setting,” Mr. Nambeshe said.
Internal sources who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that the vetting began with staff attached to the offices of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Leader of the Opposition before expanding to other departments across the legislative arm of government.