Article 83 of the Constitution of Uganda : Tenure of office of members of Parliament
Establishment, composition and functions of Parliament
83.Tenure of office of members of Parliament
(1)A member of Parliament shall vacate his or her seat in Parliament—
(a)if he or she resigns his or her office in writing signed by him or her and addressed to the Speaker;
(b)if such circumstances arise that if that person were not a member of Parliament would cause that person to be disqualified for election as a member of Parliament under Article 80 of this Constitution;
(c)subject to the provisions of this Constitution, upon dissolution of Parliament;
(d)if that person is absent from fifteen sittings of Parliament without permission in writing of the Speaker during any period when Parliament is continuously meeting and is unable to offer satisfactory explanation to the relevant parliamentary committee for his or her absence;
(e)if that person is found guilty by the appropriate tribunal of violation of the Leadership Code of Conduct and the punishment imposed is or includes the vacation of the office of a member of Parliament;
(f)if recalled by the electorate in his or her constituency in accordance with this Constitution;
(g)if that person leaves the political party for which he or she stood as a candidate for election to Parliament to join another party or to remain in Parliament as an independent member;
(h)if, having been elected to Parliament as an independent candidate, that person joins a political party;
(i)if that person is appointed a public officer.
(2)Notwithstanding clause (1)(g) and (h) of this Article, membership of a coalition government of which his or her original political party forms part shall not affect the status of any member of Parliament.
(2a)Clause (1)(g) and (h) shall not apply to an independent member joining a political party or political organisation or a member leaving one political party or organisation to join another political party or organisation or become an independent member within twelve months before the end of the term of Parliament to participate in activities or programmes of a political party or political organisation relating to a general election.
(2b)Parliament shall by law, prescribe the grounds and procedure that every political party or organisation must follow before terminating a person’s membership to a political party or organisation.
(3)The provisions of clauses (1)(g) and (h) and (2) of this Article shall only apply during any period when the multiparty system of government is in operation.