Akina Mama wa Afrika: Breaking Barriers and Equipping Women Preparing to Run for Office in 2026

Imagine standing on the edge of possibility, your name on the ballot, your voice heard in community meetings, and your dream of leadership finally within reach. For 30 women and youth leaders in Uganda, this vision became a reality from 1 to 3 September 2025, when Akina Mama wa Afrika (AMwA), along with Futurelect and the Network for Women in Politics (NOWIP), held a transformative three-day Feminist Political Training Workshop in Kampala.

Source: Akina Mama wa Afrika

The women who gathered were not just preparing for Uganda’s 2026 General Elections; they were breaking barriers, challenging long-standing systems, and redefining what leadership looks like. Drawn from the Inter-Party Women’s Platform, the Inter-Party Youth Platform, the National Youth Council, and the African Women’s Leadership Institute (AWLI), they arrived with different stories but a shared determination to claim their place in politics and to lead with integrity.

During three days, these aspiring leaders built solidarity, shared personal experiences of struggle and resilience, and honed practical skills to navigate the often hostile world of politics, with guidance from Futurelect’s East Africa team, including Regional Director Natasha Kimani and Programmes Officer Maseke Rioba. The sessions covered campaign strategy, fundraising, and communications. “Equipping women to prepare to run and lead confidently is the heart of what we do,” Kimani said. “But beyond skills, this is about building solidarity and expanding feminist political awareness.”

Source: Akina Mama wa Afrika

In Uganda’s 2021 elections, women secured 189 out of 529 parliamentary seats, which is 34.1% thanks partly to the country’s Affirmative Action Policy. Yet progress on paper doesn’t change the lived reality. Harassment, exclusion, and patriarchal power structures still block women’s full participation. For many women in the Kampala workshop, this event was not just election preparation; it was fuel to keep pushing forward in a system that often tries to push them out.

Source: Akina Mama wa Afrika

For Futurelect, the workshop showed what can happen when women are equipped not just with tools, but with the strength of community. The Kampala space reminded everyone that representation isn’t just about numbers but about reshaping governance. As Uganda approaches the 2026 elections, these women are not just ready to run; they are ready to transform politics into a space where every voice matters and every barrier can be overcome.