Prioritising property rights for women, PWDs on agenda during Muntu presidency

 
GULU - Mugisha Muntu says he will prioritise property rights for women, children and people with disabilities (PWDs) if elected president in 2026.

Addressing a campaign rally on November 6, 2025, at Awach trading centre, Awach sub-county in Gulu district, Muntu, who is the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential candidate, emphasised the need to strengthen land rights and stop illegal evictions of children, women and PWDs when heads of families die.

“In all the 36 districts I have been campaigning, orphans and widows are complaining that either family relatives, the rich and the highly connected government officials have shown interest and tried to intermeddle in the property that is left,” he said.

Muntu’s focus on agricultural revitalisation, industrial growth, and sustainable management of Uganda's natural resources while addressing rampant corruption at the centre of his national agenda shows a unique commitment to new voters. (All Photos by Stuart Yiga)

“This is what I will not accept under my government because land grabbers are conniving with area local leaders, using the Police and the army to inflict suffering on the poor Ugandans. Much as our cultural setups have such injustices enshrined in a traditional system of excluding girls and women from acquiring property, this shall be revised under my government,” he emphasised.

 Muntu's commitment to property rights is particularly significant for women, who often face challenges accessing and owning land due to cultural and societal norms.

In Uganda, women and children make up a significant portion of the population, but they are often marginalised when it comes to property ownership.

Uganda has progressive laws like the Constitution and the Land Act that protect women's land rights, ensuring equality and requiring spousal consent for land deals. Also, in all customary tenure regimes in Uganda, women's land rights are secondary and weaker than those of men. Both men and women have rights to ancestral land.

"If Uganda is to achieve true equality, we must all ensure that women, children and PWDs have equal access to property and resources that they need to create wealth, which shall help the Government to tackle household poverty," Muntu said.

Muntu’s focus on agricultural revitalisation, industrial growth, and sustainable management of Uganda's natural resources while addressing rampant corruption at the centre of his national agenda shows a unique commitment to new voters.

“I am aware that due to cultural and societal norms, these vulnerable groups in our societies need protection, and we are here to offer justice to all Ugandans,” he said.
 If we are to achieve true equality, we must ensure that women have equal access to property and resources," Muntu said. "This is not just a matter of justice, but also a key driver of economic growth and development."

Public debt

Reducing dependence on loans in this country shall be addressed by fighting corruption to the bone marrow, according to the ex-army commander. 

"We shall reconstruct the economy, invest in agriculture where most of our people earn a living. Other areas of focus shall be the health sector and education, where most people acquire loans for consumption rather than investment for the future, which affects our economy,” he said. 

Uganda's public debt reached shillings 116.2 trillion (US$32.3 billion) as of June 2025, a 26.2% increase from the previous year, according to the finance ministry.

“We need to invest in a corruption-free future by organising our economy to withstand the necessary shocks within the East African Community (EAC) and beyond,” he pledged.

This new total represents 51.3% of GDP, with domestic debt now making up a slightly larger portion than external debt. The rising debt is attributed to funding budget deficits and development programs, but it raises concerns about the country's debt servicing costs and financial challenges.