On 29th September, Uganda officially entered the campaign season for the 2025/2026 elections. The coming months will be dominated by rallies, slogans, and promises as candidates traverse the country in search of votes. Yet, amidst the noise of political rhetoric, one issue remains glaringly absent from the conversation: climate change.

Much of the public debate so far has focused on the absence of female candidates in this presidential race. That absence is indeed notable and worth serious reflection. But an even deeper concern is the silence around climate action in the manifestos and speeches of the eight candidates. At a time when Uganda is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, this omission is not only troubling it is dangerous.

A review of nomination speeches and early rallies reveals a familiar list of promises: fight corruption, stimulate the economy, reform education including proposals to abolish Swahili in favor of French and safeguard national security. While these commitments address real concerns, they are presented in a vacuum, detached from the urgent reality of climate change.

A vibrant economy cannot exist if droughts repeatedly devastate agriculture. Education reform is futile if floods displace children from classrooms. National security achievements since 1986 crumble when food insecurity and displacement destabilize communities. Climate change cuts across every sector, and ignoring it undermines all other promises.

Yet, none of the candidates have placed climate action at the heart of their agenda. Instead, the discourse remains trapped in short-term populism, where policies are measured in political gain rather than long-term survival.

Uganda is already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. Erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and frequent floods have become the new normal. These events do not just damage property they destroy livelihoods, displace families, and strain public resources.

The World Bank’s 2024 update to its Country Climate and Development Report for Uganda offers sobering projections. Without urgent adaptation measures, climate impacts could reduce Uganda’s GDP growth by up to 3.1% every year by 2050. More than 12 million Ugandans could be displaced, while millions more risk falling into poverty.

These are not abstract figures. They represent farmers whose crops wither before harvest, families forced from their homes by floods in Kasese, and pastoralists in Karamoja watching their cattle die in parched landscapes. Climate change is not a future scenario it is today’s reality.

The financial toll is already staggering. Uganda lost an estimated UGX 400 billion in 2024 alone due to climate-related disasters like floods, droughts, and landslides. Add to this the hidden costs: healthcare expenses from diseases linked to polluted water, respiratory illnesses from indoor and outdoor air pollution, and the nutritional deficits caused by crop failures. When we factor in the irreversible degradation of forest cover and wetlands, the cost of climate inaction becomes far greater than the much-discussed menace of corruption.

Despite these mounting losses, Uganda’s national budget continues to allocate only a token fraction to climate resilience and adaptation. Meanwhile, billions are funneled into sectors and policies that yield little protection against the existential threat of climate change.

This misalignment reflects a leadership that views climate change as a secondary concern, rather than as the backbone of national survival and prosperity. But for a country whose economy is overwhelmingly dependent on agriculture, and where 70% of the population depends directly on natural resources, climate resilience is not optional it is essential.

Uganda does not need leaders chasing headlines with populist policies or entangling the country in costly foreign disputes. It needs a president who will place climate change at the center of the development agenda: restoring ecosystems, safeguarding natural resources, and driving a just transition to a green economy.

Climate change is often spoken of in terms of numbers GDP losses, rainfall deficits, or population displacement. But behind every statistic is a human story.

It is the child in Ntoroko studying under a solar lamp, whose future depends on the country investing in renewable energy rather than subsidizing fossil fuels.
 It is the farmer in Rubirizi who secures a loan to buy improved seeds, only to see them shrivel in the relentless drought.
 It is the mother cooking in a smoke-filled kitchen, her family’s health at the mercy of whether clean cooking solutions are prioritized in national policy.

These are the stories that should be shaping our campaign narratives, yet they are largely invisible in political discourse. Until leaders connect climate change to everyday lives, the crisis will continue to be sidelined as a niche issue rather than the defining challenge of our time.

Uganda’s leaders often tout national security as their crowning achievement since 1986. But true security is not just the absence of armed conflict it is the assurance that citizens can feed their families, access clean water, and live in healthy environments.

Food insecurity driven by climate shocks is perhaps the greatest threat to Uganda’s stability. A hungry nation cannot thrive. Communities forced to abandon their land due to flooding or drought risk fueling migration pressures, land conflicts, and even regional instability. In this sense, climate change poses a far greater long-term threat to national security than external enemies or insurgent groups.

Out Call to the Electorate is that Ugandans cannot afford to let this election pass as another missed opportunity. The stakes are simply too high.

As voters, we must scrutinize the manifestos of every candidate. Do they provide detailed, actionable climate policies? Do they commit resources to renewable energy, reforestation, and adaptation programs? Do they understand that climate resilience is the foundation of economic growth, health, education, and security?

We must resist the temptation to be swayed by empty slogans or short-term promises that ignore the looming crisis. Leaders who fail to acknowledge climate change today will not be prepared to govern tomorrow. The next president must be someone who:

Recognizes climate change as the single greatest challenge to Uganda’s future.

Commits to mainstreaming climate action across all sectors of government.

Invests in renewable energy to power schools, businesses, and homes sustainably.

Prioritizes clean cooking solutions to save lives and reduce emissions.

Protects forests, wetlands, and rivers as vital ecological lifelines.

Leads Uganda toward a just transition that lifts communities out of poverty while safeguarding the environment.

Uganda stands at a crossroads. The decisions made in this election will reverberate for decades, shaping whether our children inherit a nation of opportunity or one of crisis.

As the campaign trail heats up, Ugandans must remember that climate change is not an isolated issue. It is the thread that weaves through our economy, our health, our education, and our national security. Ignoring it is not just an oversight it is a betrayal of our future.

This election must not be another exercise in rhetoric. It must be the moment when climate action takes its rightful place at the center of national politics. For Uganda to thrive, we must choose leaders who see beyond the slogans and embrace the reality that our collective prosperity and stability depend on climate resilience.