President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has signed eight critical bills into law to overhaul national regulations across the creative, health, and energy sectors.
The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Act, 2026 stands out as a landmark victory for the creative industry. This new legislation strengthens the protection of intellectual property for artists, producers, and content distributors. It seeks to ensure creators receive fair compensation for their work in an increasingly digital market.
The President also approved the National Drug and Health Products Authority Act, 2026 to tighten medical oversight. This law expands government regulation to cover vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, and cosmetics. It imposes stricter compliance requirements to ensure the safety of all health products sold in Uganda.
Significant changes arrived for the labor sector through the Employment (Amendment) Act, 2025. This reform provides enhanced legal protections for domestic, casual, and migrant workers. It addresses long-standing vulnerabilities faced by these specific groups in the workforce.
Industrial and household energy use will now face stricter scrutiny under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, 2026. The law introduces mandatory audits and sets standards to phase out inefficient technologies. These measures aim to reduce national energy waste and lower utility costs.
In the legal and investigative fields, the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Act, 2026 establishes better systems for evidence handling. This act modernizes forensic investigations to improve the delivery of justice. Additionally, the Magistrates Courts (Amendment) Act, 2026 was signed to refine judicial processes.
Financial and administrative shifts also featured in the batch of new laws. The Non-Performing Assets Recovery Trust (Repeal) Act, 2024 dissolves the trust and moves its functions to the Ministry of Finance. Finally, the Public Enterprises Reform and Divestiture (Amendment) Act, 2024 seeks to streamline the management of state-owned entities.
