The National Unity Platform (NUP vice-president for Western Region, Jolly Tukamushaba, has called on Ugandans to become more attentive to governance and legislative developments, arguing that many citizens only recognise systemic challenges when they are directly affected.
Speaking about the recent ordeal involving former minister Agnes Nandutu, Tukamushaba said the situation reflects a broader pattern in which public attitudes shift only after individuals experience consequences firsthand.
“When she was elevated to a ministerial position, she felt all was well,” Tukamushaba said of the outgoing Bududa District Woman MP. “But today, wherever she is, she feels the pain of being on the other side.”
She said such developments should serve as a warning to citizens to remain engaged in national affairs, particularly at a time when several controversial bills are under discussion in Parliament.
“When people are not affected, they think everything is fine,” she said. “But when it catches up with them, they say, ‘you were right.’”
Tukamushaba also drew from her personal experience, recalling her detention in 2021, which she said exposed her to the realities faced by many Ugandans in similar circumstances.
“I have been to jail, and I know how it feels to be there. I was detained simply because I possessed a red beret,” she said.
Her remarks come amid ongoing debate over proposed legislation, including the sovereignty bill currently before the Parliament of Uganda, which critics say could expand state oversight into citizens’ personal and economic lives.
Tukamushaba also raised concerns about what she described as unequal enforcement of laws, arguing that ordinary citizens are often penalised for political expression while more powerful actors appear to face less scrutiny.
“I saw Members of Parliament moving freely in military-style attire, yet others are arrested over simple symbols,” she said. “It makes you ask—where are we going as a country?”
She further criticised recent financial allocations to legislators, saying such decisions reflect a disconnect between leadership priorities and the everyday needs of citizens.
“Those who have received that money will not be there for us,” she said. “That is why citizens must stand up for themselves.”
Tukamushaba urged greater civic awareness and public engagement in legislative processes, warning against passivity in the face of laws that could shape governance and personal freedoms.
“Let us condemn all those bills and acts if they are not in the interest of Ugandans. We must rise before it is too late,” she said.
Her remarks add to a growing national conversation on accountability, civic participation, and the balance between state authority and individual rights in Uganda.
