As Esther Mirembe Mugisa gears up for the 2026 general elections, her platform is built on addressing some of Jinja City’s most pressing social issues, notably teenage pregnancy and the challenges faced by young girls. Mirembe, the Station Manager of NBS 89.4 FM and an active figure in both the Busoga Kingdom and the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD), is committed to empowering women and girls in the region through education, healthcare, and community engagement.
Busoga region, including Jinja City, has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Uganda. The latest statistics show that the prevalence of teenage pregnancies in Busoga averages around 21%, with Namayingo District leading at 23.4%. Mirembe’s primary goal is to tackle this issue head-on by ensuring that young girls receive comprehensive sexuality education, reproductive health services, and access to family planning and prenatal care. “We need to provide adolescents, especially girls, with access to quality education, including comprehensive sexuality education,” Mirembe emphasized in a recent interview.
Mirembe also calls for youth-friendly healthcare services to address the unique needs of young mothers, as many of them continue to rely on traditional birth attendants rather than seeking professional medical care. Her advocacy for comprehensive healthcare, including family planning, prenatal care, and reproductive health education, aims to reduce the high rates of teenage pregnancies in the region.
Furthermore, Mirembe envisions a Jinja City where girls can thrive academically and socially, without the burden of early pregnancies or school dropouts. “Empowering the girl child is central to our development as a society,” Mirembe says, highlighting her commitment to addressing the root causes of teenage pregnancy, which include economic necessity, lack of education, and stigma surrounding reproductive health.
By addressing these issues, Mirembe aims to transform Jinja City into a model of socio-economic development for Uganda’s youth. Her candidacy for Woman MP in the 2026 elections is not just about politics—it’s about creating lasting change for young girls in the region.