Aspiring leaders urged to master Constitutional roles and media use

20 October 2025, 11:05 am

By Mosh Ddamba & Byamukama Alozious

As 2026 general elections approach, aspiring leaders have been urged to familiarize themselves with their constitutional roles and functions to better serve their communities once elected.

The call was made during a leadership capacity-building workshop organized by the Uganda Media Women’s Association (UMWA) in partnership with Mama FM. The training, held at UMWA premises, aimed to equip aspiring leaders from local council candidates to those eyeing higher offices with skills to engage effectively with the media and their constituents.

According to UMWA, the initiative was part of its effort to give back to the community after realizing a civic education gap ahead of the elections, poor use of radio, and governance challenges. The training was a non-funded opportunity designed for both male and female aspiring leaders in the central region.

UMWA Executive Director Margaret Ssentamu emphasized that true leadership is about service, not personal gain.

“Many aspiring leaders think leadership is about earning a monthly salary. They must instead focus on serving the interests of their people and adhering to constitutional principles,” she said.

Laila Ndagire, UMWA’s Project Officer and one of the facilitators, trained participants on how to use both mainstream and social media effectively during campaigns. She also explained the structure of media houses and the importance of knowing whom to contact when seeking coverage.

“Many leaders want to appear on political shows but often approach the wrong people. It’s producers who determine program guests, and news editors who decide what makes the news,” Laila explained.

Participants hailed the training as transformative. Sarah Nakawungu, an aspiring LC3 Councillor for Kawempe II and Kazo Angola, said the session broadened her understanding of community research and communication strategies.

“I’ve learned the importance of knowing my electorate youth, women, and persons with disabilities and their interests, and using the right language during campaigns,” Nakawungu noted.

Musa Ssemanda, an incumbent LC3 Councillor, shared lessons from his four years in office, cautioning aspirants against making unrealistic promises.

“They should promise only what they can afford and are capable of delivering. Leadership requires honesty and public accountability,” he said, recalling how a voter once demanded he buy a car he couldn’t afford. Musa also pointed out that many voters only focus on qiuck gains not service delivery saying ” Our voters just was sodas and they demand”. He mentioned that one day he got a loan of 70,000 shillings to solve his voter’s introduction ceremony commonly known as kwanjura and struggled to pay the loan. He now calls voters to focus on service develivery demand than small problems which they are not meant to be involved

Uganda, a home of 56.9 milion people accroding to the recent census, 22 milion people were registered by electoral commission to vote in the 2026 general elections whereas on presidcendiat candidate no woman has come up to stand, a reason for UMWA’S training to prepare the masses and the aspirants on elections and its significance. Further more candidates were challnged not focus on qiuck rich upon wining elections instead put emphasis on their manifasto implemnetion. ”Polistics is not a job , get side incomes” said one of the facilitors

UMWA urged the aspirants to bear qualities of good leaders which calls for their availability , readness, approacbale among other qualities to offer service delivery

Clothilda Babirekere, UMWA’s Gender Specialist, discussed cultural barriers affecting women in politics. She highlighted how traditional norms often discourage women from leadership while grooming boys to take charge.

“From childhood, girls are raised to be homemakers, while boys are taught leadership. This mindset limits women’s participation in politics,” Babirekere said.