MP Ssewagudde pushes 10% quota for PWDs in top govt jobs

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After being sworn into the 12th Parliament, Robert Ssewagudde, the legislator representing People With Disabilities (PWDs), has pledged to focus on addressing unemployment among PWDs despite many being qualified professionals.

Ssewagudde, of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), is also a disability rights advocate who lost his hearing at the age of seven after a severe malaria attack.

In an interview with New Vision on May 18, 2026, through Jonan Opori, his sign language interpreter, the 34-year-old said: “PWDs are often overlooked in government departments and NGOs; the vice should change.”

“I always tell people not to judge PWDs by physical appearance, but by the abilities and potential they possess; the rest is secondary. I champion these proposals aiming at elevating the inclusion of PWDs in Uganda's governance structures,” Ssewagudde stressed.

The target is to reserve at least 10 percent of all presidential appointments for PWDs. Specific positions include Cabinet ministers, permanent secretaries, resident district commissioners (RDCs), and various commissioners, Ssewagudde said.

“The rationale is to combat historical marginalisation and ensure the PWD community has direct, actionable representation at all tiers of national decision-making,” he added.

Inclusive education priority

Inclusive education is another priority. Ssewagudde said children with disabilities continue to face limited access to quality education due to poor implementation of inclusive policies.

“I will support initiatives that promote inclusive education so that children with disabilities can access quality learning opportunities,” he said.

Priorities in the 12th Parliament

Ssewagudde is the co-founder and executive director of Deaf Sign Alliance, an organisation advocating for the rights of PWDs. Through his leadership, he said he will lobby for funding to construct two primary schools for children with disabilities in Kotido and Kiruhura districts.

“Kotido District Local Government has allocated 20 acres of land, while Kiruhura district has provided six acres for the projects. Fundraising efforts are ongoing through development partners,” said Ssewagudde.

He highlighted limited access to health services, particularly in private hospitals, where physical accessibility and sign language interpretation are often lacking.

“There must be stronger monitoring and enforcement to ensure health facilities are accessible to all,” he said.

He also pledged to push for the full implementation of sign language teaching in schools. Although approved by the Ministry of Education and Sports, sign language remains largely absent from school curricula.

“Inclusion will only become a reality when sign language is taught in all schools,” Ssewagudde emphasised.