Voting together: Civic engagement, Ubuntu and work of building Uganda’s democracy

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OPINION

By Amb. Rosa Malango

On January 15, 2026, Ugandans will go to the polls to elect the President of the Republic, members of Parliament and local government representatives. This moment is part of the nation’s cycle of peace and development, which requires a collective commitment to sustain peace and an individual opportunity to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Responsible civic participation is inseparable from development and sustaining peace.

Informed voters are more likely to elect leaders who prioritise long-term economic planning, effective public service delivery and prudent use of national resources. Impactful civic engagement requires close partnerships between the State and the people.

If we are to attain the Uganda we want and the Africa the world needs, then our national social contracts must be informed by our values as well as our national strategies and global best practices. We have a collective responsibility as Africans to create homegrown models for peace and development that reflect the history, heritage and opportunities of African states.

In diverse societies such as Uganda, civic engagement offers a peaceful mechanism for negotiating differences, recognising new approaches and promoting inclusion. Uganda is one of the world’s youngest nations on Earth; this means that including the youth at the forefront of civic engagement is critical to ensure sustainable peace and development.

With more than three-quarters of the population under the age of 30, young people are part of the nation’s economy and are today’s decisive constituency. Yet youth participation has often been inconsistent.

Frustration from failed promises, unemployment pressures, misinformation and limited access to civic knowledge have weakened their sustained engagement across the nation. Many young Ugandans view politics as distant from their daily struggles.

At a time that the world is registering significant changes in technology, governance and economic models, ensuring the voices of the young are part of the social contract between the State and the citizens is critical to reduce tensions and sustain the achievements and gains made so far. For example, SMEs constitute up to 90 per cent of the private sector in Uganda and most of them are owned or managed by youth and women.

When citizens believe they have a voice, political competition is less likely to descend into ethnic, regional or generational tensions. Elections can become a moment of national assessment and a conversation about our future, rather than a confrontation; a moment to renew and update the national social contract for fundamental change. Countries that grow, stabilise and innovate do so because they are able to ensure the productive use of natural resources, build sustainable infrastructure and ensure citizens feel ownership of the political process, hence becoming active contributors to wealth creation and sustaining peace.

Let’s agree that civic engagement is not an abstract ideal; it is the daily practice of citizenship, regardless of tribe, religion or location. It includes learning about national programs, holding leaders accountable, registering to vote, listening to differing views, casting a ballot and remaining engaged in the implementation of development programs long after the rallies have ended. Civic engagement reduces the space for corruption, abuse of power and policy capture. Democracy, in this sense, is not self-sustaining; it is maintained through constant citizen involvement.

“This is not a mere change of guards; I think this is a fundamental change in the politics of our government. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 1986” Ubuntu/Obuntubulamu, a values-based approach to peace, development and governance.

The PanAfrican value system of Ubuntu (or Obuntu-bulamu in Uganda) allows us to leverage core values around Obumu = unity, Obwerufu = transparency, Obwesimbu = Integrity and Okufaayo = empathy to inform citizen engagement in economic transformation and democratic practice.

Ubuntu—often summarised as “I am because we are” reminds us that individual actions carry collective consequences. Ubuntu/Obuntubulamu places community well-being above personal gain, encourages respect for opponents and recognises that political rivals are not enemies, but fellow citizens with whom one must continue to live after ballots are cast. In electoral contexts, this value system discourages violence, hate speech and exclusionary rhetoric, replacing them with dialogue, empathy, mutual respect and tolerance.

Ubuntu/Obuntubulamu also speaks to shared responsibility. Elections are not the sole responsibility of political parties, electoral bodies or the State. Elections belong to the national community known as Uganda, including citizens, security agencies, civil society, the media and the state alike. Peaceful campaigns that educate and inspire, acceptance of lawful outcomes and post-election reconciliation are collective roles and responsibilities that need to be promoted.

The State, Civil Society, Security Agencies, and Media share responsibility in fostering Civic Culture, while the State carries the heavy responsibility of fostering an enabling environment for civic engagement-security-development. Civil society organisations, the media and others can complement state efforts by helping to translate constitutional principles and government programs into everyday understanding at the community level.

We have a shared responsibility to create spaces for dialogue, learning, recognition of best practices, exchange of inter-generational knowledge, as well as discussions on the impact of emerging technologies on peace, development and governance. Entities such as the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, the National Initiative for Civic Education in Uganda, as well as segments of the creative industry, content creators and educators must be empowered to develop and convey content that promotes peace and constructive civic engagement all year round. We must integrate the digital economy into our programs, incentives and GDP calculations.

Uganda was recently listed among the top growing economies in Africa, a testament to a robust macro-economic posture, the determination of Ugandans and the government to increase the capacity to manufacture, process and export our products, as well as growth in our service sectors.

Sustaining this growth will require an inclusive approach that allows SMEs to benefit from government programmes, continue to fight for their families to get out of poverty and strengthen their ability to access markets.

The fight against poverty needs to recognise the need for additional transport infrastructure, the role of artificial intelligence, the digital economy, as well as better preparation of our youth to gain skills in a range of potential jobs in the sports, creative and tourism value chains.

Uganda is home

Uganda is my new home, as such, I am ready to keep her clean, to work on improving her, to share the amazing things about her with visitors, to fight against enemies of progress for her sake and to educate my children to love her. If Uganda is home, then she is a family sanctuary that needs our constant attention, not violence, intimidation or destruction.

Nations around the world struggle with managing the link between peace, development and governance. Uganda, like most countries with a significant youth bulge and an emerging economy, can educate and engage citizens on their rights and responsibilities with regard to sustaining the peace and benefiting from development before, during and after elections.

If Uganda, our home, is to continue to grow as the regional peace and economic hub, then we must invest in civic education as a national priority that is part of the curriculum both in formal educational as well as vocational learning settings. It cannot be an episodic activity tied only to electoral seasons.

Integrating civic learning into school curricula, supporting public awareness campaigns by public, private and cultural institutions will enable citizens to engage constructively in preserving the nation informed by values, strategies, history and heritage.

Civic engagement must continue through the life of our nation, from monitoring service delivery to participating in local governance to engaging representatives and demanding accountability.

These actions are key to our focus on growing our tourism and trade sectors as pillars for successful socio-economic transformation.

Patriotism, Pan Africanism and strategic global positioning have informed the nation’s socio-economic and political posture for years. For Uganda, the upcoming polls are therefore both a test of the journey so far and an opportunity to inspire trust for a new generation of citizens and leaders. A test of a 2040 vision, institutional maturity, political restraint and civic responsibility.

An opportunity to demonstrate that an African values-based approach to peace and development can help ensure the successful participation of citizens, the State, the media, security agencies and the private sector. An opportunity for all citizens and the State to embrace national milestones and symbols while planting seeds of hope.

Sustaining peace and development requires continuity, through citizens who remain
engaged, institutions that respond and protect, and leaders who govern with the awareness that legitimacy is renewed daily, not periodically.

After almost 30 years of international service of which almost half was in war zones around the world where I witnessed first-hand the impact of destruction on children, families and communities, two years as a social entrepreneur in Uganda where I became part of the challenging start-up hustle ecosystem and a five months as a Special Presidential Envoy dedicated to promoting tourism and trade, there are a few things that are clear to me: Nation building is a long-term complex process and societies that successfully grow are those that are clear about their value systems, institutions, strategies and citizen participation. Most nations face challenges related to governance, corruption and inadequate service delivery, but what makes the difference is the ability of nations to establish systems that promote accountability and correct deficiencies.

Our Pan African value system dictates that my well-being is dependent on yours, and in this spirit as the voting day approaches, I invite all Ugandans to promote peace and stability, educate others about civic duties, weather political challenges calmly, manage diversity more constructively and pursue sustainable development more inclusively.

On January 15, Ugandans are called to vote and affirm a shared commitment to the nation’s future.

Guided by civic responsibility, anchored in Ubuntu/Obuntu and supported by a responsive state, Uganda can continue the work of building a modern economic society and democratic culture that is tolerant, peaceful, inclusive and sustainable. Peace, trust and development are intrinsically linked.

We need them if we are to achieve prosperity for all, if we are to feed our families, build our businesses, protect our communities and offer our children a better future.

Democracy is not something we inherit fully formed; it is something we practice together. Wishing the nation a successful and peaceful election and a return to focus on economic transformation for all.

The writer is the Patron NICEUG, Special Presidential Envoy for Tourism and Trade