Today is International Women’s Day. Women in Uganda have made giant strides in their fight to be recognised as equals. Government even went ahead to dole extra ‘give-aways’ to recognise women as mothers of the nation and are equal to their male counterparts.
As Uganda celebrates with the rest of the world, TrumpetNews lists the top 10 inspirational women in the line of business, leadership and even social standing.
Dr. Maggie Kigozi.
She is a renowned business and investment expert. Maggie is the former executive director of the Uganda Investment Authority and is the Chancellor of Nkumba University.
A widower, Dr. Kigozi also sits on the board of Crown Beverages the makers of Pepsi Products in Uganda. She is also a revered member of many professional associations in Uganda.
Amina Hersi
Amina is Ugandan of Somali Origin. An astute business woman, Amina has tried her hand at various businesses including real estate-she is the owner of Oasis Mall and Laburnam Apartments in Nakasero. Amina has won various awards in the business and investment sector, and more recently started the Amuru Sugar Factory.
Judy Kyanda Rugasira
She is the managing director of Knight Frank Uganda and Rwanda. Married to Leo Kyanda, Judy is also a mother, wife and family woman.
At Knight Frank, Judy oversees real estate management for Acacia Mall, Village Mall, Course View Towers which host some of Uganda’s biggest business entities.
Jyotsna Ruparelia
She is business mogul and Uganda’s richest man’s wife, Sudhir Ruparelia. Jyotsna is also a director at Kampala International School of Uganda, Speke Resort Munyonyo and holds substantial shares in Meera Investments which is probably Uganda’s biggest real estate owner. Jyotsna has been involved in charities activities and continues to be a strong supporter of various business associations
Rebecca Kadaga
She is the country’s legislative assembly Speaker and also woman MP for Kamuli District.
Kadaga who is a lawyer has held various ministerial positions previously and continues to be an aspirational leader and business woman with interests in the hospitality industry.
As Speaker and leader, Kadaga has continued to fight and advocate for women’s rights across the country.
Janet Kataaha Museveni
Mama Janet as she is fondly called was for a long time a patron of UWESO ( Uganda Women’s Efforts to Save Orphans).
Today, Janet who also doubles Minister of Education besides being first lady is an unrelenting champion of Women’s rights, as a leader and influential mother who has shown the virtues of what characters are expected of women who are leaders, mothers and politicians. She stood by her husband President Museveni as he waged war that liberated the country as she took care of their young family.
Maria Kiwanuka
She was once Uganda’s finance minister. Maria is respected as an affluent business woman with interests in real estate, manufacturing and broadcast as a joint owner of Radio One and Kaboozi Kubiri.
Maria is also a close confidant of Buganda Queen Sylvia Nagginda and together with other influential Baganda women including Jennifer Musisi, Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde and others like Allen Kagina have scaled the political and social heights to hold and influence important positions in the country.
Queen Sylvia Nagginda
She is the queen of Buganda. Sylvia who had an illustrious career with the World Bank in Washington returned home in 1993 to become Buganda’s Queen.
Besides being Queen, Nagginda also runs social and community initiatives including the Kampala Ballet School and grooming camp Ekisakate which have helped shape children and provide strategic counsel for the country. Nagginda is also heavily involved in women empowerment engagements and is a strong advocate of women’s rights.
Dr. Sabrina Kitaka
Sabrina is lecturer at Makerere University Medical School.
She is more importantly known as child’s rights advocate and is probably Uganda’s most recognised female paediatrician.
Doubling her role as a doctor, mother and professor, Sabrina has given lectures on women’s role as mothers of the nation and how to take care of healthy kids and safe delivery for mother’s. For her advocacy, Dr. Kitaka has won numerous awards as a women and children’s rights activism.
Jennifer Musisi
Jennifer started off her rise to the top at URA under the tutelage of Allen Kagina. It was here that she caught the president’s eye.
After being appointed as the first female executive director of a renamed Kampala Capital City Authority, Jennifer has been the champion of stable city growth over the years.
Nankulu as she is called in KCCA circles, Jennifer’s rising profile as a city executive has helped tame rowdy opposition spoilers like Lukwago checked and she has helped to restore sanity in Uganda’s capital Kampala.
