by law establish an efficient, fair and expeditious machinery for the administration and management of the estates of deceased persons; and

under the law referred to in paragraph (a) of this Article, ensure that the services of the department or organisation established for the purpose are decentralised and accessible to all persons who may reasonably require those services and that the interests of all beneficiaries are adequately protected.

Article 247 requires Parliament to create a fair and efficient system for managing deceased persons' estates, ensuring accessibility and beneficiary protection.

There shall be a Law Reform Commission for Uganda the composition and functions of which shall be prescribed by Parliament by law.

The Law Reform Commission established under clause (1) of this Article shall publish periodic reports on its findings and submit annual reports to Parliament.

Article 248 establishes Uganda’s Law Reform Commission, its functions, and reporting duties to Parliament.

Article 248 Clause 1

There shall be a Disaster Preparedness and Management Commission for Uganda to deal with both natural and man-made disasters.

Parliament shall, for the purposes of this Article, prescribe the composition, functions and procedure for implementation of the functions of the Commission.

Article 249 creates a commission to handle natural and man-made disasters, with Parliament defining its structure and functions.

Disaster Preparedness and Management Commission

Where a person has a claim against the Government, that claim may be enforced as a right by proceedings taken against the Government for that purpose.

Civil proceedings by or against the Government shall be instituted by or against the Attorney General; and all documents required to be served on the Government for the purpose of or in connection with those proceedings shall be served on the Attorney General.

Parliament may by law make provision for the purposes of clause (1) of this Article.

In the title of any criminal proceedings, the prosecution shall be designated by the word “Uganda”.

Article 250 outlines how legal claims against the Government are filed, including the role of the Attorney General.

Article 250 Clause 1

Legal proceedings by or against the Government

Any commission or authority established by this Constitution may, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, regulate its own procedure or confer powers or impose duties on any officer or authority of the Government for the purpose of discharging its functions.

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any decision of any commission or authority established by this Constitution shall require the concurrence of a majority of all its members; and it may act notwithstanding the absence of any member or any vacancy in the office of a member.

In this Article, “commission or authority” includes a council and a committee of the commission or authority.

Article 251 allows commissions to regulate their own procedures and make decisions by majority vote, even with member absences.

Performance of functions of commissions and authorities

Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, any person who is appointed or elected to any office established by this Constitution may resign from that office by writing signed by that person addressed to the person or authority by whom he or she was appointed or elected.

The resignation of a person from any office established by this Constitution shall take effect in accordance with the terms on which that person was appointed or, if there are no such terms, when the writing signifying the resignation is received by the person or authority to whom it is addressed or by any person authorised by that person or authority to receive it.

a member of any commission, authority, council or committee established by this Constitution; and

For the purposes of clause (1) of this Article, “office” includes the office of—

Subject to the provisions of this Article, Parliament may make laws providing for the resignation of persons holding offices established by this Constitution not provided for in this Article.

Article 252 explains how officials under the Constitution may resign, including the process and when it takes effect

Article 252 Clause 1

Where any person has vacated an office established by this Constitution, that person may, if qualified, again be appointed or elected to hold that office in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

Where a power is conferred by this Constitution on any person to make any appointment to any office, he or she may appoint a person to that office even while another person holds the office, when that other person is on leave of absence pending the relinquishment of the office.

Where two or more persons hold the same office by reason of an appointment made by virtue of clause (2) of this Article, then, for the purposes of any function conferred on the holder of that office, the person last appointed shall be taken to be the sole holder of that office.

Article 253 governs the re-appointment of former officeholders and temporary appointments during leave periods in Uganda's constitutional offices.

Article 253 Clause 2

Re-appointments and concurrent appointments

A public officer shall, on retirement, receive such pension as is commensurate with his or her rank, salary and length of service.

The pension payable to any person shall be exempt from tax and shall be subject to periodic review to take account of changes in the value of money.

The payment of pension shall be prompt and regular and easily accessible to pensioners.

Article 254 guarantees fair, tax-exempt pensions for Ugandan public officers based on rank, salary and service length, with regular payments.

Parliament shall by law make provision for the right of citizens to demand the holding by the Electoral Commission of a referendum, whether national or in any particular part of Uganda, on any issue.

Parliament shall also make laws to provide for the holding of a referendum by the Electoral Commission upon a reference by the Government of any contentious matter to a referendum.

Where a referendum is held under this Article, the result of the referendum shall be binding on all organs and agencies of the State and on all persons and organisations in Uganda.

the fundamental and other human rights and freedoms guaranteed under Chapter Four of this Constitution; and

the power of the courts to question the validity of the referendum.

A referendum to which clause (3) applies, shall not affect—

Article 255 establishes rules for citizen-initiated and government-called referenda in Uganda, including their binding nature and limits

Article 255 Clause 3

The oaths specified in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution shall be administered in a manner prescribed by law.

Article 256 states that oaths listed in the Constitution’s Fourth Schedule must be given according to legally defined procedures.

“Act of Parliament” means a law made by Parliament;

“sitting” includes a period during which Parliament is continuously sitting without adjournment and a period during which it is in committee;

“Article” means an Article of this Constitution;

“Speaker” means the Speaker of Parliament and “Deputy Speaker” shall be construed accordingly;

“child” means a person under the age of eighteen years;

“subordinate court” means a court subordinate to the High Court;

“court” means a court of judicature established by or under the authority of this Constitution;

“Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of Uganda;

“Court of Appeal” means the Court of Appeal of Uganda;

“Uganda” means the Republic of Uganda.

“district” means a district referred to in Article 5 of this Constitution;

“district council” means a district council established under Article 180 of this Constitution;

“education service” means any part of the public service established as the education service by Parliament by law in conformity with this Constitution;

“financial year” means the period of twelve months ending on the thirtieth day of June in any year or such other day as Parliament may by law prescribe;

“functions” includes powers and duties;

“Gazette” means The Uganda Gazette and includes any supplement of that Gazette;

“Government” means the Government of Uganda;

“health service” means any part of the public service established as the health service by Parliament by law in conformity with this Constitution;

“High Court” means the High Court of Uganda;

“judgment” includes a decision, an order or decree of the court;

“judicial power” means the power to dispense justice among persons and between persons and the State under the laws of Uganda;

“Leadership Code of Conduct” means the Leadership Code of Conduct established under Chapter Fourteen of this Constitution;

“local government council” means a council referred to in Article 180 of this Constitution;

“Minister” means a Minister of the Government and includes a Minister of State and a Deputy Minister;

“oath of allegiance” means an oath of allegiance prescribed by this Constitution;

“Parliament” means the Parliament of Uganda;

“President” means the President of Uganda;

“public office” means an office in the public service;

“public officer” means a person holding or acting in any public office;

“public service” means service in a civil capacity of the Government or of a local government;

“session” means a series of meetings of Parliament within a period of twelve months;

In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires—

words referring to natural persons include a reference to corporations;

words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

words directing or empowering a public officer to do any act or thing, or otherwise applying to that officer by the designation of the office of that person, include the successors in office and all deputies and other assistants of that person.

unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to an office in the public service includes—

a reference to an office in the public service does not include a reference to the office of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, a Minister, the Attorney General, a member of Parliament or a member of any commission, authority, council or committee established by this Constitution.

In this Constitution unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to the holder of an office by the term designating that office includes a reference to any person for the time being lawfully acting in or performing the functions of that office.

For the purposes of this Constitution, a person shall not be considered as holding a public office by reason only of the fact that that person is in receipt of a pension or similar allowance in respect of service under the Government.

The power to remove a public officer from office includes the power to require or permit that officer to retire from public service; except that nothing in this clause confers on any person or authority power to require the retirement of a person holding a public office for which the method of retirement or removal is specifically provided for by this Constitution.

Any provision in this Constitution that vests in any person or authority power to remove a public officer from office shall not prejudice the power of any person or authority to abolish any office or any law providing for the compulsory retirement of public officers generally or any class of public officer on attaining an age specified in that law.

Where power is vested by this Constitution in any person or authority to appoint any person to act in or perform the functions of any office if the holder of the office is unable to perform those functions, no such appointment shall be called in question on the ground that the holder of the office was able to perform those functions.

Where any power is conferred by this Constitution to make any statutory instrument or rule, or pass any resolution, or give any direction, the power shall be construed as including the power, exercisable in like manner, to amend or revoke any such statutory instrument, rule, resolution or direction.

In this Constitution, references to the amendment of any of the provisions of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament include references to the alteration, modification or re-enactment, with or without amendment or modification of that provision, the suspension or repeal of that provision and the making of a different provision in place of that provision.

Article 257 provides official definitions for key terms used throughout Uganda's Constitution.

Article 180

Article 5

no Act, resolution or decision passed or taken or purported to have been passed or taken by Parliament at any time after the commencement of this Constitution using the procedure of voting by voice vote, namely, by the voices of “Ayes” for those in favour of the question and “Noes” for those against the question, shall be taken to be invalid by reason of the use of that procedure;

no Act passed or purported to have been passed by Parliament at any time after the commencement of this Constitution shall be taken to be invalid by reason of the fact that the bill for the Act was not discussed and recommendations made on it to Parliament by a standing committee.

Subject to Article 92 of this Constitution—

Article 258 validates parliamentary acts passed by voice vote or without committee review, subject to Article 92."

Article 92

Ratification of certain acts relating to the procedure of Parliament

Chapter 17 / General and miscellaneous

247.Administration of estates

248.Law Reform Commission

249.Disaster Preparedness and Management Commission