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Assessing the feasibility of sector-based parliamentary representation in Uganda's governance system

Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell, Ahumuza Audrey


Abstract

his study assessed the feasibility of introducing sector-based parliamentary representation as a complement or alternative to Uganda's predominantly territorial constituency system, with specific attention to the health, education, agriculture, trade and industry, and disability sectors. The research was motivated by recurrent debates within Uganda's Parliament and civil society on whether geographically-bounded representation adequately channels technical sectoral interests into national legislative and budgetary processes. Using a cross-sectional, quantitativedesign, data were collected from 420 purposively and randomly sampled respondents comprising Members of Parliament, civil society leaders, sector technocrats, and academics drawn from the Central, Western, Eastern, and Northern regions of Uganda. Five latent constructs were measured on five-point Likert scales: institutional capacity, sectoral legitimacy, political will, representation effectiveness, and feasibility of sector-based representation. Data were analysed using univariate statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations), bivariate techniques (Pearson correlation, independent-samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA), and a structural equation modelling approach operationalised through a sequence of structural regression paths linking institutional capacity, sectoral legitimacy, and political will to representation effectiveness and ultimately to feasibility. Results indicated that institutional capacity significantly predicted sectoral legitimacy, and that sectoral legitimacy, political will, and institutional capacity jointly explained a substantial proportion of variance in representation effectiveness, which in turn was the strongest predictor of overall feasibility. Political will emerged as a second strong direct determinant of feasibility. Differences in feasibility perceptions across sectors and respondent categories were comparatively modest and statistically non-significant, suggesting a broadly shared, cross-sectoral view of the structural prerequisites for reform. The study concludes that sector-based parliamentary representation in Uganda is conditionally feasible, contingent primarily on strengthening institutional capacity and political will rather than on sector-specific characteristics. The study recommends phased piloting of sector seats, capacity-building for sectoral representative structures, and deliberate political mobilization to build cross-party consensus ahead of any constitutional or electoral law amendment.

Keywords

Assessing the feasibility of sector-based parliamentary representation in Uganda's governance system
Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research

Cite This Article

Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell & Ahumuza Audrey (2026). Assessing the feasibility of sector-based parliamentary representation in Uganda's governance system. Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research, 5(6). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=464

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