Almost four decades ago, February 1989, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) interim government promulgated an election Statute to expand its legislature, then called National Resistance Council (NRC) to include thirty-nine district woman special representatives for the first time in Uganda’s history. These joined two women, Oliva Zzizinga and Gurtrude Nanyunja Njuba who had come from the bush as military fighters.

Later, in 1991, five regional youth representatives were added. By 1994, workers and persons with Disabilities (PWDs) were as we entered the Constituent Assembly (CA) that debated and promulgated the 1995 Constitution. These special seats were entrenched in the constitution and other laws as safeguards for continuous strong, bold, loud, and consistent meaningful advocacy, lobbying and forward planning for these previously marginalized groups.

Today, those modest political and electoral reforms, have engendered seismic results, producing two females vice presidents, two parliament speakers, two deputy chief justices, three Heads of Public Service, a female Secretary General of a ruling, and opposition parties, and hosts of female Judges, Permanent Secretaries, heads of government constitutional bodies, and senior security officers.

The vice presidents and speakers have been Dr Speciosa Naigaga Wandira Kazibwe, Jessica Epel Alupo, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and Annet Anita Among in that order, all relatively young when in those offices. And their representation has enabled many young women and girls, imagine, exude and attain their great ambitions and potentials.

In the runup to the return of multiparty democracy, NRM replicated special representations of marginal groups and introduced Older persons, veterans and historical’s leagues. A decade ago, NRM asked parliament to enact a law for Older Persons representation in parliament. Unfortunately, not many took keen interest, and the results so far, are not impressive, in fact, as silent as a graveyard. All the current MPs for older persons are of advanced age, who take these seats for personal welfare, and have been unable to raise voice, strong advocacy and planning for their constituency. The point at which older persons stand today in Uganda, as an increasingly extreme minority, they need loud, bold, vigorous and consistent voices as those of Janet Museveni, Speciosa Kazibwe, Kadaga, Janat Mukwaya, and Miria Matembe, among others that brought women protection and emancipation issues to the fore.

Am seeking this MP seat to bring a bold, loud, courageous, consistent and credible voice to issues of older persons in Uganda. And as well, as a long-standing NRM ideologue, I seek to strengthen NRM voice in the caucus, parliament committees and floor, tussling it out with our competitors. My three and a half decades in NRM and government corridors, media and other platforms beyond Uganda’s borders provide me with multiple leverages to mount realistic advocacy, lobbying and planning for the concerns of older persons, and Ugandans generally.

The young people, of 30-55 years, currently constituting the overwhelming majority in decision, policy and legislative-making bodies of government need to know that they are coming to the aging side of life, and should conduct fore-planning because their own time is surely approaching. They ought to support policies and procedures that make old-age life productive, rewarding, comfortable, and dignified, not in destitution.

Apart from providing meaningful regular stipends for the most vulnerable elders, the government ought to consider regular health checks, subsidized or comprehensive medication for the most common sickness like high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers and cancer screening. Once this is done, old persons can then be advised on change of diets and healthy lifestyles to adopt.

Having paid taxes, and supported their government and country, it is only fair that the government should in turn support older persons during their hour of need and vulnerability, and not abdicate to the NGOs, and children of these elderly, many of whom are in their own distress.