Deputy Premier, Rebecca Kadaga, who doubles as the Kamuli Woman MP has demanded know where the 10th Parliament kept funds raised to support the general wellbeing of persons living with Albinism. This call was made during the International Albinism Awareness Day national celebrations held in Kamuli District on Saturday.
Kadaga says that, during her tenure as the speaker of parliament, they collected funds towards constructing a shelter for persons living with Albinism. This shelter she says was meant to provide an atmosphere for psychological comfort, where persons living with Albinism would receive counselling to resist stigma and other general life challenges. Kadaga says that she left the speakership office, no mention of the said funds has been heard of anywhere.
She challenged the association of persons living with Albinism to formally write a reminder to the current speaker of parliament to trace for the funds and equally fasttrack the construction of their shelter.”I urge to officially write to the current speaker of parliament for redress. The current leadership at parliament is corrupt free and I am convinced they will extensively expedite this matter,” she says.
This year’s commemoration was held under the global theme, “Proudly in My Skin- Celebrating All Skin Tones,” a message that emphasizes dignity, equality and respect for persons with albinism while challenging prejudice and discrimination that continue to affect their daily lives.
The theme highlights how colour-based discrimination manifests through bullying, prolonged staring, mockery, exclusion and harmful stereotypes that undermine the mental wellbeing, safety and self-esteem of people with albinism, particularly children and young people. The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development said this year’s celebrations seek to raise awareness about the rights of persons with albinism and promote their full participation in society.
According to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Uganda has an estimated 78,876 persons living with albinism aged two years and above. Scientifically, albinism is a rare inherited genetic condition that occurs when both parents carry a recessive gene, even if they do not have albinism themselves. The condition is present at birth and is neither contagious nor caused by environmental factors or lifestyle choices.
Kadaga says that, in her bid to promote inclusivity of persons living with Albinism in the professional working spaces, she employed one lady at her hotel, before lobbying parliament to hire another at parliament. She argues that many persons living with Albinism have acquired professional skills in different fields and has since challenged other corporate organizations to hire them on merit.
People living with albinism have little or no melanin pigment in their skin, hair and eyes, making them highly vulnerable to intense sunlight and bright light. Most have permanent visual impairment and face an elevated risk of developing skin cancer without adequate protection.
The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the unique health needs of the country’s nearly 79,000 persons living with albinism.It announced plans to integrate sunscreen into public health procurement guidelines to improve access to life-saving protection.
Kadaga has equally challenged Uganda Revenue Authority-URA to scrap taxes on sunscreen lotions, which are key life saving necessities for persons living with Albinism.She says that, the process of scraping taxes from the sunscreen lotions had gained momentum through parliament, but it was later abandoned over unclear reasons.
These lotions she says to be key in safeguarding the skin’s of persons living with Albinism and in turn deterring them from exposure to skin cancer. The ministry of health statements in regards to persons living with Albinism have often hinted on the need for specialized eye care services, regular skin cancer screening and sustained public education campaigns as necessary factors towards improving the health outcomes and reduce stigma.
On the other hand, data from the Uganda Bureau Of Statistics-UBOS indicates that the largest numbers of persons living with albinism are found in Uganda’s most populous sub-regions, of Buganda, Busoga, Ankole and Teso, reflecting population size rather than any geographical concentration of the condition.
During the celebrations, advocates renewed calls for greater social and economic inclusion. Executive Director of Women and Children living with Albinism in Uganda, Doreen Mayanja, noted that discrimination and social exclusion is evident among persons living with Albinism as they are continuously denied opportunities in education, employment and leadership.
Israel Galabuzi, a Senior Six student at Busoga College Mwiri, appealed to the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) and schools to provide specialized support for learners with albinism, many of whom experience severe visual challenges.
He urged schools to improve classroom seating arrangements and provide assistive learning materials to ensure students with albinism compete fairly in national examinations. As part of the commemorations, persons living with albinism marched through Kamuli District, carrying messages promoting inclusion, equality and pride in their identity-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
