Title: Citizen perceptions of raising minimum educational qualifications for parliamentary candidates
Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius
Dr. Twinomujuni Rosebell
Ahumuza Audrey
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 225-232
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
This study investigated citizen perceptions of the proposal to raise the minimum educational qualifications required of parliamentary candidates, a policy debate that has recurred in Ugandan public discourse alongside broader questions of representation, competence, and inclusivity in elective politics. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 400 randomly sampled adult citizens drawn from four regions (Central, Eastern, Northern, and Western) through a structured questionnaire administered across urban and rural settings. The questionnaire captured socio-demographic characteristics, prior exposure to civic education, and Likert-scale perception items covering competence, representativeness, elitism, accountability, and implementation preferences, alongside a binary measure of overall support for or opposition to the policy. Data were analysed using univariate statistics (frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations), bivariate chi-square tests of association, and binary logistic regression to identify independent predictors of support while adjusting for confounding factors. The findings showed that 57.0 percent of respondents supported raising the minimum educational qualification, while 43.0 percent opposed it. Bivariate analysis revealed statistically significant associations between support and residence (p<0.001), education level (p<0.001), and prior civic education exposure (p=0.013), but no significant association with age, sex, employment status, or region. The logistic regression model confirmed that urban residence (AOR=2.73, 95% CI: 1.69-4.40), secondary education (AOR=3.30, 95% CI: 1.49-7.29), tertiary education (AOR=6.12, 95% CI: 2.67-14.03), and civic education exposure (AOR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.07-2.61) were independent predictors of support, even after controlling for age, sex, and employment status. Respondents simultaneously expressed concern that the policy could exclude capable grassroots leaders, indicating an underlying tension between the pursuit of legislative competence and the protection of inclusive representation. The study concluded that citizen perceptions of the policy were shaped less by uniform public opinion and more by structural factors linked to educational attainment, place of residence, and civic awareness, and recommended a phased implementation approach accompanied by targeted civic education and safeguards for grassroots representation.