Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, First Woman To Become House Speaker Position In Uganda

Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga is a prominent Ugandan lawyer and politician, born on May 24, 1956, in Kamuli District, Uganda.

She is widely known for her role in Uganda's political scene, where she served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda for a decade, from 19 May 2011 to 24 May 2021.

In her career, Kadaga became the first woman to hold the Speaker position in the country's history, succeeding Edward Ssekandi.

Kadaga is also the current First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, a role she has held since June 21, 2021. She is also the Minister for East African Community Affairs in Uganda's Cabinet.

Throughout her career, Kadaga has been a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), the political party led by President Yoweri Museveni.

She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kamuli District Women's Constituency since 1989, representing the Busoga sub-region.

Her education background is impressive. She studied at Namasagali College for her high school education before attending Makerere University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1978.

She later earned a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in Kampala in 1979.

Kadaga further pursued her passion for law by obtaining a Diploma in Women's Law from the University of Zimbabwe in 2000, followed by a Master of Arts (MA) in Women's Law in 2003. In 2019, Nkumba University awarded her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Kadaga has extensive experience in law and public service. From 1984 to 1988, she worked in private law practice before beginning her political career.

She was appointed as Uganda's Minister of State for Regional Cooperation from 1996 to 1998 and later served as Minister of State for Communication and Aviation until 1999.

From 1999 to 2000, she served as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. In 2001, she was elected as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and held the position until she became the Speaker in 2011.

Kadaga was re-elected as Speaker in 2016, and her leadership saw significant moments, such as presiding over the controversial constitutional amendment in December 2017, which removed the age limit for presidential candidates, effectively allowing President Museveni to run for a sixth term.

However, in the 2021 election, Kadaga was defeated in the race to retain the position of Speaker of Parliament.

Her loss came after a fallout with her party, the NRM, which led to her former deputy, Jacob Oulanyah, being elected instead. Despite this setback, Kadaga remained a key political figure in Uganda.

Rebecca Kadaga's contributions to Uganda's political and legal systems have been significant. She has broken barriers for women in politics, serving as a role model for future generations.

Her achievements, from serving as Speaker of Parliament to her current role as First Deputy Prime Minister, reflect her dedication to serving her country.