politics
African and European Parliament Lawmakers Clash Over Sovereignty and Election Oversight at Eswatini Meeting
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa led African MPs in criticizing the European Parliament's resolutions on Uganda's elections and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline. The lawmakers, gathered on 8 May 2026 for the Eastern Africa Regional Parliamentary Group meeting in Eswatini, urged respect for sovereignty under the Samoa Agreement. They cited prior EU actions against both Uganda and Tanzania.
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African legislators condemned European Parliament interference in their countries' internal affairs during a meeting of the Eastern Africa Regional Parliamentary Group in Eswatini on 8 May 2026. Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, who serves as OACPS president and co-president of the joint parliamentary assembly, led the criticism and called on members of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States to defend the continent's sovereignty.
Tayebwa cited the European Parliament's resolution on Uganda's January general elections and its summoning of Uganda's ambassador.
EU observers had described those elections as free and fair. He noted that Tanzania faced similar treatment from the European Parliament after its elections. "I think we need to caution our colleagues from the European Parliament to reduce interference in the matters of our countries," Tayebwa said.
"We have not interfered in how they are doing their things with Russia. " The European Parliament passed a 2022 resolution calling for a halt to the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project. That matter was overturned during an OACPS meeting in Maputo.
Tayebwa said this showed the importance of standing firm against what is not right. Ugandan MPs attending the meeting echoed his concerns. Bugabula County South MP Maurice Kibaalya questioned trust in international partnerships.
"How can we trust the agreements we are signing? Uganda ratified the Samoa Agreement in good faith, yet a parliament of another bloc is interfering in the affairs of an independent country," Kibaalya said. Rwampara County MP Amos Kankunda joined the criticism.
