KAMPALA,Uganda – Disability rights advocates and development stakeholders are calling for urgent reforms to ensure inclusive food security strategies and equal land ownership rights for persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Uganda. They warn that ongoing marginalization threatens to deepen hunger and poverty for millions across the country.
The call was made during a multi-sectoral engagement held at Hotel Africana, hosted by the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) in partnership with ZOA and other organizations. Voices from government, civil society, and the disability movement emphasized that unless Uganda’s food systems and land policies become truly inclusive, PWDs will continue to be excluded from national development efforts.
The meeting was part of the We Are Able project—a five-year initiative implemented in the districts of Omoro, Nwoya, Arua City, and Terego. The project is led by ZOA International, in collaboration with NUDIPU, Light for the World Uganda, VNG International, and The Hague Academy, and aims to promote inclusive governance and food systems that serve all, especially marginalized communities.
Speaking at the event, Esther Kyozira, Executive Director of NUDIPU, highlighted the persistent barriers that PWDs face in accessing sufficient food and owning land, despite years of intervention.
“While food is a fundamental right, we find that it is not being realized for persons with disabilities. Many of them have limited or no land, and even where land exists, household food security remains a major challenge,” she said.
Kyozira also stressed the need to address land rights violations, citing widespread exploitation of PWDs’ vulnerability.
“People are still taking advantage of persons with disabilities. Land grabbing is common, and under some customary systems, PWDs are not allocated land at all,” she noted. “We must move beyond boardroom discussions and implement practical solutions on the ground.”
Hon. Mpindi Bumali, Member of Parliament representing PWDs, echoed these concerns, specifically pointing to the exclusion of PWDs from land inheritance.
“Even when families write wills, persons with disabilities are often left out in the distribution of customary land,” he said. “You cannot speak of food security without addressing land rights.”
He called on communities to shift their perception of land as a consumable asset to a productive one.
“Land is a resource. The government must sensitize people not to sell it for quick gains like motorcycles or alcohol. Used well, land can help Ugandans fight food poverty.”
Agnes Kirabo, Executive Director of the Food Rights Alliance, described Uganda’s food insecurity crisis as a moral and systemic failure.
“We live in a land of plenty, yet nearly 50% of the population goes hungry. This reflects the deep inequities and injustices within our society,” she said.
Kirabo highlighted the long-term impact of malnutrition, referring to it as “invisible hunger” that creates life-long disability.
“A stunted child is permanently affected—mentally, physically, and emotionally. We’re talking about development in a society burdened with stunting, disease, and frustration,” she warned.
She also criticized the government’s recurring post-election hunger cycles.
“Every election season, resources are diverted from food systems to politics. After elections, the country goes hungry. And in a hungry society, no one is safe.”
Participants urged government ministries, legal institutions, and development partners to prioritize inclusive agriculture and land tenure reforms.
Key recommendations included:
- Support for land registration for PWDs
- Improved access to agricultural inputs
- Targeted nutrition programs for vulnerable groups
While the We Are Able project has made notable strides in raising awareness and influencing policy, stakeholders agreed that long-term transformation requires sustained political will, robust legal frameworks, and deep community engagement.
“Let’s not stop at talking,” Kyozira concluded. “Let’s act—so that persons with disabilities can grow their own food, own their land, and live with dignity.”
