In a passionate and emotionally charged statement released on International Women’s Day, the women of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) laid bare what they describe as decades of systemic oppression endured by Ugandan women under President Museveni.
The statement, titled “Giving to Gain — The Untold Stories of Women under Museveni’s Rule”, was issued following a press briefing at the party headquarters in Katonga.
Signed by Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor and PFF Head of Gender, Doreen Nyanjura, the message framed women’s empowerment not as a celebration but as a struggle requiring sacrifice, resilience, and solidarity.
In contrast to official national International Women’s Day events — which this year included government programmes highlighting women’s contributions to development and an all-women military parade at Kololo — the PFF cast the day as an opportunity for reflection on the suffering of ordinary women over the past 40 years.
The statement detailed a litany of hardships: mothers arrested during peaceful protests, families torn apart by disputed elections, widows ostracised after losing spouses to political violence, elderly female activists languishing in detention, and young girls forced out of school due to poverty or lack of sanitary supplies.
It also highlighted maternal deaths and trauma during childbirth, and women struggling to provide basic needs for their children amid widespread economic challenges.
“These are painful stories,” the PFF statement read, noting that such realities are often overlooked in mainstream discussions about gender equality.
According to the group, these narratives show that true empowerment requires “giving” — of time, energy, safety, and even life — so that the nation may “gain” freedom, justice, and dignity long denied to women.
Rejecting ceremonial observances, the PFF pledged proactive engagement throughout Women’s Month. Planned activities include visits to political prisoners, drafting legal appeals under conditions of risk, and launching a magazine documenting women’s untold experiences.
The programme also incorporates commemorative events for fallen women activists, community gatherings to share electoral experiences, and a public solidarity run.
Central to the PFF’s agenda is a renewed call for the unconditional release of prominent opposition figures, including Dr Kizza Besigye, Hajj Obed Lutale, Samuel Makokha, and Sam Mugumya, alongside all other political detainees.
In a direct appeal to women across Uganda — from rural villages to urban centres and diaspora communities — the PFF urged collective action: visiting prisoner families, contributing to legal defence funds, sharing testimonies online, or standing in solidarity through prayer and reflection.
“Every act multiplies,” the statement read, framing even small contributions as part of a wider collective struggle for justice and gender equality.
