Deaf Community in Rukungiri Calls for Inclusion on World Hearing Day 

Rukungiri: As the world marked World Hearing Day on March 3, a resident of Rukungiri Municipality living with hearing impairment shared the hardships that deaf people face in their daily lives, including discrimination and exclusion from community activities. 

Hillary Twinomujuni, a resident of Omukakabada Cell, Northern A Ward, Western Division in Rukungiri Municipality, expressed these challenges during a written question-and-answer interview with our news reporter at his home. 

He highlighted the major difficulties they encounter, including a language barrier due to limited access to sign language interpretation, job discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention, and a lack of inclusive educational opportunities. Twinomujuni explained that many deaf individuals struggle to find work because employers often reject them once they discover their hearing impairment. 

Twinomujuni, who works as a mechanic repairing printers and other machines in Rukungiri town, relies on his mobile phone to communicate with clients and the community through text messages and WhatsApp. He noted that despite his challenges, he is able to provide for his family and pay school fees for his only son. 

He emphasized the importance of World Hearing Day in raising awareness about the rights of deaf people and educating the public about deaf culture. He reminded the public that the deaf have a right to communicate through alternative formats, such as written notes, and deserve equal access to employment opportunities. 

“Deafness is not a limitation. We are capable of achieving great things, and our hearing status does not define our potential,” Twinomujuni said, urging the public to show love and support for people with hearing impairments. 

Meanwhile, the National Secretary for Nurses and Midwives in Uganda, Alex Twekwase, encouraged people to attend regular medical check-ups to maintain their hearing health. He advised the public to clean their ears properly and visit hospitals every three months for check-ups. 

Twekwase explained that while people are born with good hearing, they often lose it as they age, especially after their 70s. However, with regular medical attention, they can preserve their hearing for longer. 

Uganda’s Constitution affirms the equal rights and dignity of all citizens with disabilities. In 1995, the government recognized Ugandan Sign Language (USL) as an official language. However, according to the Uganda National Association of the Deaf (UNAD), recent 2024 data shows a significant drop in the deaf population, reporting only 44,381 deaf individuals compared to 1,083,642 in 2014. This drastic decrease of over 96% raises concerns about the accuracy of the recent statistics. 

It is estimated that over 95% of deaf adults in Uganda never accessed education, highlighting the urgent need for more inclusive policies and programs.