Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has urged Parliament to move beyond responding to climate-related disasters and prioritise long-term measures that can prevent their recurrence and strengthen communities’ resilience.
Tayebwa made the remarks on Tuesday while opening a two-day induction for members of the Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change and the Committee on Natural Resources at Mestil Hotel.
The induction brings together legislators, civil society organisations and international agencies to discuss Parliament’s role in addressing the effects of climate change. Uganda’s 12th Parliament began its first session in May 2026, with Tayebwa serving as Deputy Speaker.
Tayebwa said climate change was no longer a distant threat, noting that its effects were already being experienced in different parts of the country.
He cited flooding, prolonged droughts, changing weather patterns, declining water sources, food insecurity and the destruction of forests and wetlands as some of the challenges requiring stronger policy intervention.
“As Parliament, we must move beyond responding to disasters after they occur and focus more on prevention and building resilience,” Tayebwa said.
He pointed to Parliament’s constitutional responsibilities of legislation, appropriation, oversight and representation as key tools through which lawmakers can influence climate policy and ensure public resources are directed towards sustainable interventions.
Tayebwa said government should reduce reliance on emergency responses, arguing that repeated expenditure on disasters without addressing their underlying causes could leave vulnerable communities exposed.
He specifically cited flooding in areas such as River Nyamwamba and Ntoroko, as well as recurring food shortages in Karamoja, as situations requiring preventive investments rather than repeated emergency interventions.
The Deputy Speaker also called for climate considerations to be incorporated into government development programmes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM).
He said PDM initiatives should promote climate-smart agriculture through the use of drought-resistant seeds, agroforestry, soil conservation and water harvesting.
Tayebwa further stressed the need for properly equipped agricultural extension services to help farmers adopt practices that can withstand changing weather conditions.
Parliament has previously highlighted the need to strengthen climate governance and legislative capacity.
In March 2026, the Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Climate Change entered a partnership with private-sector and climate organisations to improve stakeholder coordination and support legislators’ engagement on climate issues.
Tayebwa said the new Parliament should measure its performance by the practical impact of its decisions on communities and the environment.
“The 12th Parliament must be a Parliament of action. History will judge us not by the number of sittings or conferences we attended, but by how effectively we prevented disasters, protected our environment and safeguarded the future of generations to come,” he said.
He also renewed his membership of the Parliamentary Committee on Climate Change, reaffirming his continued involvement in climate-related legislative work.