Persons with disabilities call for greater visibility in Uganda’s media

2 November 2026, 7:42 pm

Byamukama Alozious

Persons with disabilities seek a place in Uganda’s media leadership

are pushing for greater representation of persons with disabilities in Uganda’s media, including leadership positions within professional journalists’ associations.

UJA Secretary General Emmanuel Kirunda said the association was undergoing rebranding, with inclusion among its priorities. He said UJA wanted to strengthen disability representation within the association and improve its online visibility.

However, Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) says it has failed to fill a position reserved for a representative of persons with disabilities on the association’s forthcoming executive regardless of public announcement

The discussion was part of follow-up engagements by UMWA and NUDIPU aimed at strengthening disability-inclusive reporting and encouraging media organisations to reflect the experiences and rights of persons with disabilities.

The engagements follow a training on legal frameworks governing the rights of persons with disabilities held on August 26, 2026. The training was organised under a one-year project implemented by UMWA in partnership with NUDIPU and the East African Centre for Disability, Law and Policy (EA-CDLP).

Doreen Sampa, a project officer at UMWA, said the project seeks to promote disability inclusion in planning and budgeting by government ministries, departments and agencies, with the media expected to play a key role in raising awareness and promoting accountability.

More than 30 journalists from different media houses, particularly those covering health, participated in the training. UMWA is engaging selected media houses in November to assess how journalists are applying the knowledge in their reporting.

During the meeting, Kirunda also highlighted UJA’s environmental initiative on climate change, saying persons with disabilities should be represented in related activities.

He called for more attention to barriers faced by mothers with disabilities when accessing health facilities and asked NUDIPU to organise workshops to improve health reporting on disability-related issues.

Kirunda also urged journalists to give greater visibility to discrimination and poverty affecting persons with disabilities.

David Nangosi, a programmes officer at NUDIPU, welcomed UJA’s openness to disability inclusion and pledged support through radio talk shows and other media platforms to promote disability rights.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics’ 2024 National Population and Housing Census, approximately 5.5 million people aged two years and above in Uganda had disabilities, representing 13.2 per cent of the population in that age group.

The figures highlight the importance of including persons with disabilities in media representation, leadership and public discussions on policies and services that affect their lives.

UMWA and its partners are expected to continue engaging media houses to assess progress and promote reporting that gives persons with disabilities greater visibility and reflects their participation in society.