Woman MPs ask female ministers to fight corruption

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Members of Parliament under the Uganda Woman Parliamentary Association –UWOPA have appealed to women appointed to cabinet positions to champion the fight against corruption.

Led by association chairperson, Pamela Kamugo who is the Budaka Woman MP, UWOPA members addressed journalists at Parliament shortly after the approval of Jessica Alupo and Robinah Nabbanja as Vice President and Prime Minister respectively.

Alupo and Nabbanja are among the women that President Yoweri Museveni appointed to top Cabinet last week. The others are Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga as the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community, Lukia Nakadama as Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without portfolio and others.

Reacting to the appointments, UWOP chairperson Kamugo expressed trust in the females appointed as Ministers and appealed to them to spearhead the country’s fight against corruption.

She appealed to the appointed women to be at the forefront of fighting corruption.

Santa Alum, the Oyam Woman MP said that women are less corrupt and she is confident that those appointed into cabinet will be able to fight corruption to ensure smooth service delivery to Ugandans.

Women legislators also applauded President Museveni for appointing women in Cabinet and also ensuring that these form part of the top leadership.

Agnes Kunihira, the Worker’s representative said that appointment of women in these offices is a vote confidence in the women of Uganda.

“Their appointment means skills, people like Alupo and Nabbanja have been in cabinet before, Alupo as Minister of Education and Nabbanja as State Minister of Health, these two sectors are very crucial sectors, so we are looking forward to having the two push for proper funding of these critical sectors,” she added.

Lucy Akello, the Amuru Woman MP also appealed to the appointed women to continue working closely with UWOPA to ensure protection of girl and women rights.

Uganda passed several gender laws like the Public Finance and Management Act, 2015 with the provision of Gender and Equity Certificate, the Parliament Rules of Procedure reserving 40 percent leadership positions for women at parliament among other laws.

“The number of full cabinet Ministers now stands at 14 out of 31 constituting 45.2 percent and the State Ministers are 24 out of 50 making it 48 percent,” said Kamugo. “As a country and women, we are happy that Uganda is making progress towards gender parity which the country made commitments to under the AU African charter on election, democracy and governance.”

UWOPA now seeks to have more women appointed as Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons on different Committees of Parliament.

UWOPA, established during the 5th Parliament (1989-1994) is a caucus comprising of female Members of Parliament but also open to male members as associates. It aims at engendering the legislative process, creating awareness campaigns and encouraging lobbying and advocacy.

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