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Govt tips cultural leaders on 2026 polls

Gender minister Betty Amongi Ongom

What you need to know:

  • Political rivalry and feuds have in the past resulted in physical fights, deaths and arrests during the elections. 

With barely a year left until the 2026 General Election, Gender minister Betty Amongi has tasked the country’s cultural leaders to tame possible political violence and ensure peaceful campaigns. 

“You are a strong pillar in Uganda. 

Campaigns are soon starting, politicians will be coming to you. Play a critical role to promote politics of love, dialogue, reconciliation and unity, so that they (politicians) don’t tear each other apart,” Ms Amongi said. 

The minister was addressing leaders from 17 cultural institutions across the country who attended a two-day conference held from January 16 to 17 in Kampala. 

The conference focused on the theme: The Role of Traditional and Cultural Leaders in promoting culture for Socio-economic Development in Uganda. 

It drew traditional leaders from Buganda, Bosoga, Bunyoro-Kitara, Tooro, Rwenzururu, Tororo, Acholi, Alur, Kooki, and Bugwe, among others. 

Political rivalry and feuds have in the past resulted in physical fights, deaths and arrests during the elections. 

Ms Amongi also told cultural leaders that they would have another opportunity to meet with President Museveni and urged them to be open and share their thoughts with him. 

“We are committed to implementing what we privately discussed, but you will have another opportunity to meet with the President. He will listen to you and if you want any clarification on something, he will do it,” Ms Amongi said at the end of the conference. 

During the opening of the conference on January 16, the cultural leaders held a closed-door Zoom meeting with President Museveni. 

A source who attended the meeting but preferred not to be named said the President told them to support government programmes including the Parish Development Model (PDM). 

He said Mr Museveni also pledged to enhance the monthly facilitation to kingdoms from Shs15m to Shs60m to run their activities. 

Ms Peace Mutuuzo, the state minister for Gender and Culture, said: “Resources for cultural leaders should be ringfenced so that no one touches them. The arrangement of giving them cars is also in the pipeline.” 

But the law bars traditional leaders from involvement in politics. The Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act, 2011, Article 6, Part V, states: “A person shall not, while remaining a traditional or cultural leader, join or participate in partisan politics.” 

But Mr Aggrey Kibenge, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, said the law allows cultural leaders to help empower people to exercise their rights of popular participation and association.

He said the call to traditional leaders was justified and should not be seen as encouraging their involvement in partisan politics but as ambassadors of peace, especially during elections. 

He said the law allows them to help empower people to exercise their rights of popular participation and association. 

“The king is a king for all the people, so when he is addressing his subjects, he is preaching peace to the National Unity Platform (NUP) party. NRM also needs peace as much as FDC needs peace and all of us need it,” he said. 


Cultural leaders react

Teso paramount chief Sande Emolot said: “Teso has always advocated unity. The election year should not divert us from our norms. We need to live and work together. Also vote wisely.” Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom premier Andrew Byakutaga also backed the suggestion. 

“As Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, we are in agreement with the idea. We need to mobilise our subjects to ensure a peaceful election. This can be achieved through dialogue of candidates with opposing views instead of opting for violence. They should be tolerant of each other’s views,” Mr Byakutaga said. 

Mr Robert Ssebunya, the senior presidential advisor on Buganda Affairs, commended the minister for regarding cultural institutions as an integral part of the electoral process. 

He said people should not be divided along political lines by the political leaders who come and go, yet the cultural institutions will always stay. 

Mr Benson Kule, the deputy Prime Minister of the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, said: “I invite everybody to rally behind the kingdoms to ensure they unite with the leaders of the cultural institutions, to have a generation that respects culture but also that develops through cultural institutions.”