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SSENOGA: We realised that we don’t have quality sanitary pads at an affordable price in Uganda. After long research and study, we came up with Union Sanitary Pads under a campaign, Kili Clear
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | It’s an age-old story in Uganda. Thousands of girls and women continue to face barriers to accessing safe and affordable menstrual products, often forcing them to miss school, lose productive working hours, or compromise their health and dignity.
Uganda’s transport ‘Union’, comprising leaders of the taxi, bus, boda boda and truck sectors across the country, has stepped in and committed to resolving the challenge.
“Every woman and girl deserves the confidence to pursue education, work, and daily life without worrying about access to menstrual hygiene products. We are making quality sanitary pads, but not just any pads; the healthier and most affordable ones on the market,” said Union’s CEO, Fred Ssenoga, as he joined stakeholders and excited schoolgirls to launch the product at UMA Multi-Purpose Hall in Kampala on Saturday.
He reaffirmed the Union’s commitment to improving the everyday lives of the people in the informal sector, particularly transport sector communities across Uganda. stated that “after long research and study, we realised that we don’t have quality sanitary pads at an affordable price in Uganda. We are lucky that we got the best researchers and experts that made these sanitary pads.”
Officials said the Union’s new sanitary pads seek to address these challenges by offering high-quality protection at prices that are accessible to low-income households. Union Sanitary Pads are manufactured using natural wood pulp and breathable fabric for enhanced comfort, skin friendliness, and environmental sustainability, making them a healthier alternative for students and women of reproductive age.
“We appreciate Union’s contribution to alleviate poverty because all problems stem from poverty. Let’s all play our role to enrol in their programs whether to sell sanitary pads or any other Union products”
Dr. Allan Kasozi, for Asst Commissioner Dr. Irene Mwenyango#KiliClear pic.twitter.com/alD8BJSjxu
— Union Transport Alliance (@UnionTransportA) June 20, 2026
Government hails Union
The Ugandan transport sector continues to reap the benefits of working as one unit under the Union Transport Alliance. The sanitary pad initiative follows the recent launch of an all-in-one daily mobile phone bundle designed specifically for Uganda’s informal sector.
“We appreciate Union’s contribution to alleviate poverty because all problems stem from poverty. Let’s all play our role to enrol in their programs whether to sell sanitary pads or any other Union products,” said Dr Allan Kasozi, the chief guest who represented Dr Irene Mwenyango, the Assistant Commissioner for Adolescent Health in the Ministry of Health.
Officials said that the “Kili Clear” campaign is built around three key pillars: The confidence to empower women and girls to live, work, study, and travel without fear or embarrassment during their periods; Comfort by providing quality protection designed for active lifestyles and making reliable menstrual hygiene products accessible to women and girls, particularly those within Uganda’s informal sector, affordable.
Uganda’s transport sector—long fragmented, informal, and underserved—has lacked the structure, financing, and coordination needed to unlock its full economic potential. Millions of operators across boda bodas, taxis, buses, and trucks have operated without access to affordable financing, organized systems, or collective bargaining power.
This progress has already been accelerated by strong, high-impact partnerships with leading institutions, including NSSF, MTN, Housing Finance Bank, Spiro, Next Media and others, enabling the Union to deliver financing, connectivity, mobility solutions, and nationwide visibility to its members.
“Building on this foundation, the alliance represents a horizontal expansion across the entire transport ecosystem—integrating boda bodas, taxis, buses, and truck operators onto one unified platform. This coordinated structure enables shared access to financing, technology, partnerships, and markets,” an economics expert said recently.
At its core, the Alliance is designed as a commercial platform (“supermarket”) for already existing products such as the Union ride-hailing app, bike loans, Union water, smartphones and Union Oil, the newly launched Union Data Bundle, as well as future products such as Union matatus (taxis), Union buses, Union trucks, tyres, spare parts, electric cars, backpacks, laptops, scholastic materials and many more.
This, the union is confident, will position it as the largest organised economic vehicle in Uganda.
The Alliance, the first of its kind in the region, also opens the door for deeper collaboration with partners across the mobility, financial, manufacturers and other service providers offering access to one of the largest organized transport networks in the region.
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