UWOPA Blames Money Politics, Cultural Bias for Keeping Women Out of Elections

What the report says

Women legislators in Uganda, through the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), say high campaign costs, cultural bias and a shrinking civic space are still keeping many women from contesting directly for constituency seats. The concern was raised during a meeting with women leaders from the Women Network in Politics at Parliament on Friday, where participants said the political environment has become more intimidating for women who speak out or seek elective office.

According to Nile Post, lawmakers argued that elections have become increasingly commercialised, leaving candidates needing substantial financial resources to compete. They also said long-standing beliefs that leadership belongs to men continue to shape voter attitudes and weaken support for women running in open contests. One representative of the Women Network in Politics said some women fear backlash and intimidation because of the current political climate.

The legislators noted that Uganda has made progress in women’s representation since 1986, including through affirmative action and reserved seats, but said those gains do not fully reflect the obstacles women face in direct elections. Figures cited in the discussion showed women hold 187 of 529 seats in the 12th Parliament, about 35%, and make up 49% of Cabinet, though that does not mean similar participation in constituency races.

UWOPA said women legislators should use parliamentary debate to challenge stereotypes and push reforms that would make elections less costly and more inclusive. More broadly, the issue matters because it affects who can compete for power and how representative Uganda’s elected institutions are.