Presidential candidates tasked with adopting disability manifesto

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Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have asked presidential candidates and their political parties to adopt a disability manifesto ahead of the 2026 polls.

According to the PWD Member of Parliament for the Central region, Alex Ndeezi, there are six million persons living with disabilities in the country who contribute taxes to the government’s coffers.

"We want political will, and the new government should be at the forefront to implement the disability manifesto," Ndeezi said.

He added that presidential candidates should take the lead and champion the disability manifesto.

L-R: PWD Member of Parliament Central Alex Ndeezi, David Nangosi programme officer NUDIPU and Martin Senoga, the programme manager addressing a press conference during the launch of the disability manifesto in Kampala on October 24, 2025. (Photo by Francis Emorut)

The lawmaker also appealed to ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as civil society organisations, to incorporate disability issues into their programmes.

Ndeezi made the remarks during the launch of the disability manifesto at the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) headquarters in Kampala on October 24, 2025.

He said NUDIPU had traversed all districts in the country to gather the concerns of persons with disabilities and compiled them into a manifesto.

"Our manifesto represents six million persons with disabilities who pay taxes to the economy and therefore, our rights and voices should be taken into consideration by the government and political parties," Ndeezi told journalists.

Whereas the government provides social protection for the elderly, PWDs have demanded that children with disabilities also be included.

"The government should give/extend a grant to children with disabilities because they are struggling to live a dignified life," said Esther Kyozira, the chief executive officer of NUDIPU.

She noted that despite having a legal framework such as the Disability Act on children and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, there are gaps in social protection as it excludes children, and the legislation is not fully implemented.

"Children are struggling to live dignified lives. We thought that it is important to bring to the attention of presidential candidates to understand our demands," she stated.

The chief executive officer lauded the government for allocating 10% of the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds to persons with disabilities and for providing affirmative action for the enrolment of PWD students in higher institutions of learning, but she said much more needs to be done.

"However, there are still challenges. We are like Oliver Twist," she said.

The enrolment of PWD students in public universities currently stands at 64, which, according to the disability manifesto, should be increased to 300 students.

Prior to the launch of the disability manifesto, officials of disability advocacy groups addressed a press conference highlighting the top priorities of the manifesto that presidential candidates should address.

These include social protection, inclusive education, inclusive healthcare and assistive technology, inclusive employment, and access to justice.

Other demands from the disability fraternity include an enabling infrastructural environment, disability and climate justice, political participation, and reasonable accommodation.

"Ensure disability inclusive disaster risk management planning through early warning systems that are accessible to persons with disabilities," said Apollo Mukasa, the executive director of the Uganda National Action on Physical Disability (UNAP).

"Government should develop a national reasonable accommodation policy/guideline for persons with disabilities," said Joel Musana, the executive director of the Foundation of Persons Affected by Dwarfism (FPAD).

The disability fraternity observed that implementing their manifesto would significantly contribute to the realisation of the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) and Vision 2040, ensuring that no person with a disability is left behind in Uganda's development journey.