By KT Reporter
Elections for Workers’ Representatives to Parliament have concluded in Kampala, ushering in a mix of experienced returnees and new entrants, with workers’ welfare, wages and labour protections dominating the agenda.
In the general category, the contest was won by Annet Birungi (NRM) with 358 votes, narrowly beating Agaba Gilbert (Independent), who secured 351 votes. Arinaitwe Rwakajara (NRM) followed with 289 votes, while Margaret Namubiru Rwabushaija came fourth with 207 votes.
The female workers’ seat delivered the tightest race of the elections when Fiona Nakku, contesting as an independent candidate, edged out the incumbent and NRM flag bearer Kunihira Margaret by 290 votes to 287. Four other candidates, including musician Fiona Mugerwa alias Fiina Masanyalaze, polled no more than two votes each.
Nakku said her policy direction is firmly anchored in the NRM manifesto. A former staff member at the NRM Secretariat, she is credited with coordinating the party’s “13 million Votes” campaign for President Museveni’s re-election bid. She said her priority in Parliament will be to fight salary disparities, particularly between science and arts teachers.
The elections marked the exit of outgoing Workers’ MPs Charles Bakabulindi, who did not seek re-election, Abudulhu Byakatonda, and Kunihira, who had shifted interest to the female seat.
Throughout the campaigns, candidates and union leaders repeatedly called for stronger representation, unity among Workers’ MPs, and a sharper focus on improving workers’ welfare. Key concerns included the delayed minimum wage, salary inequalities, poor working conditions, such as a lack of contracts, and weak social protection systems.
Veteran unionist Usher Wilson Owere urged the newly elected MPs to prioritise the long-awaited Minimum Wage legislation, which lawmakers say was shelved by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development for being “a bad law,” without any detailed explanation.
Owere were also called for reforms to strengthen social security to ensure that all working Ugandans, including those in the information sector, can retire with dignity.
Returning MP Arinaitwe Rwakajara, while praising government efforts to attract investors, said much more remains to be done to ensure employers respect labour laws and workers’ rights. He stressed the need not only to strengthen labour laws but also to enforce them. He said his main agenda in the next Parliament will be to ensure the government supports workers’ unions by including them in wealth-creation programmes.
Soon after casting her vote, State Minister for Investments and Privatisation Evelyn Anite challenged Workers’ MPs to go beyond Parliament and engage workers directly at their workplaces to better understand their challenges.
She noted that although labour laws exist, many employers continue to violate workers’ rights, especially those of non-unionised workers, pledging government support to organisations that take proactive steps to protect workers.
Outgoing MP Abudulhu Byakatonda, who unsuccessfully sought re-election, said he had hoped to help harmonise Workers’ MPs’ projects to avoid duplication, such as multiple MPs purchasing ambulances instead of pooling resources for wider impact.
He also raised concern over the continued trafficking of Ugandans promised jobs abroad only to end up in exploitative conditions, calling for deeper engagement with destination country governments.
Lawyer David Kamukama, who also contested unsuccessfully, said the Workers’ Parliamentary Group needs legal expertise to identify bad laws, draft new ones and review existing labour legislation. He called for a review of agreements between Uganda and labour-importing countries and for mandatory supervision of Ugandan workers abroad by exporting companies to safeguard their well-being.
The elections were, however, marred by allegations of widespread bribery, with reports of candidates allegedly renting hotel rooms for delegates, promising between 1 million and 5 million Shillings per vote, and even using covert methods to verify votes before paying.
Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said that although the exercise involves an electoral college, candidates and voters must still comply with electoral laws and principles of transparency. He nonetheless accused members of the public of abetting corruption by soliciting money from candidates.
Workers are represented in Parliament by five MPs, including at least one woman, all elected by workers’ union delegates. This time, the electoral college comprised about 630 delegates, drawn from 54 workers’ unions and 10 non-unionised workers from each region, with 19 candidates participating.
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