Esther Mirembe Mugisa, the Station Manager of NBS 89.4 FM radio in Jinja City, is set to make a second bid for the Jinja City Woman MP seat on the ruling NRM party ticket in the 2026 general elections.
Mirembe, who recently tied the knot with a UPDF engineer from the Engineering Brigade, Capt Michael Arthur Mugisa, says she has drawn inspiration from Uganda’s 1st Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who was the guest of honor at their wedding reception.
She says Rt Hon Kadaga’s passion for Busoga’s growth and development admired countrywide has motivated her to join her as a champion for the region’s interests.
“… I have drawn inspiration from Rt Hon Kadaga’s passion for Busoga’s growth and development, which is admired countrywide,” Mirembe says, adding, “…Mama Kadaga’s passion has motivated me to join her in championing the region’s interests…”
With a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Kampala University, Esther Mirembe is confident that her experience and social capital will propel her to victory in the 2026 elections.
She also praises her boss, Hon Nathan Samson Igeme Nabeta, the director of NBS and MP for Jinja South East constituency, as a noble and scandal-free politician who has stayed clear of political dirt.
She is the secretary Kyabazinga Press Unit (KPU)that handles media related issues of the kingdom headed by HRH William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope Gabula IV.
She is also the PRO Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD), a non-partisan development agency established by local governments in the Busoga sub region to drive socio-economic transformation.
Its primary goal is to unite the people and friends of Busoga, both within Uganda and in the diaspora, to steer the sub region’s development. Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga is the patron BCD.
The consortium is built on a bottom-up model using a citizen-led and community-driven approach to development.
It focuses on identifying and building on the existing strengths and development potential of Busoga rather than solely addressing its needs and deficits.
Some of the key initiatives and programmes undertaken by the Busoga Consortium for Development include the Busoga Development Agenda (BDA). BDA is a comprehensive development plan aimed at achieving middle-income status for the subregion within 10 years.
There is also the Village Agricultural Model (VAM) strategy, a pilot programme aimed at promoting guided mass community transformation through agriculture
Esther Mirembe says her vision for Jinja City includes tackling the high rates of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts, particularly among girls.
She aims to empower the girl child and women through education and sustainable support.
“…we need to provide adolescents, especially girls, with access to quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education,” Esther Mirembe says.
She adds: “…We also need to provide them with access to youth-friendly healthcare services, including reproductive health education, family planning, and prenatal care.”
According to the Ministry of Health, teenage pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy that occurs in a girl aged 15-19 years, regardless of whether she is married or unmarried.
This definition is in line with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition, but with a more specific age range.
The Ministry of Health also categorizes teenage pregnancies into two sub-groups:
Early adolescence (15-17 years): Pregnancies that occur in girls under the age of 18 are considered early adolescent pregnancies.
Late adolescence (18-19 years): Pregnancies that occur in girls aged 18-19 are considered late adolescent pregnancies.
This categorization helps to identify the specific needs and vulnerabilities of adolescent girls at different stages of their development.
The status of teenage pregnancies in Busoga is alarming, with the region holding the highest teenage pregnancy rate nationwide.
According to the latest findings, the average prevalence rate of teenage pregnancy in Busoga is around 21% across most districts, with Namayingo District leading the region at 23.4%.
In fact, teenage pregnancies make up 27% of all antenatal care (ANC) attendances in Namayingo District, and only 27% of young mothers choose to deliver in health facilities, with the majority relying on community-based assistance from traditional birth attendants.
The root causes of teenage pregnancies in Busoga are complex and multifaceted.
Some of the contributing factors include natural curiosity about sexual health and relationships, economic necessity, lack of accountability, stigma surrounding condom use, and limited access to education and healthcare.
To effectively address teenage pregnancies, elected politicians and those seeking elective politics should prioritize education, healthcare, and community engagement.
Among the key strategies is to ensure that adolescents, especially girls, have access to quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education.
There is a need to provide adolescents with access to youth-friendly healthcare services, including reproductive health education, family planning, and prenatal care.
By including teenage pregnancy as an issue worth addressing, Esther Mirembe demonstrates her commitment to improving the lives of adolescents, especially girls, in Jinja City.
This move showcases her responsiveness to the needs of her constituents and her willingness to tackle complex social issues.
As a woman seeking elective politics, Esther Mirembe’s focus on teenage pregnancy highlights her potential to be a strong advocate for women’s and girls’ rights, and her ability to address the unique challenges faced by this demographic.
As a strong supporter of Arsenal FC and a self-proclaimed “Rising Star,” Mirembe is poised to make a significant impact in the 2026 elections.
As to whether she will emerge victorious and join the ranks of Uganda’s female leaders, it is a matter of time as 2026 political clock ticks.
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