EDUCATION
DESCRIPTION
Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga is a Ugandan lawyer and politician who was Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda since 19 May 2011. She is the first woman to be elected Speaker in the history of the Parliament of Uganda. She succeeded Edward Ssekandi, who served as Speaker from 2001 to 2011. She is also the current Member of Parliament (MP) for the Kamuli District Women's Constituency, Busoga sub-region, a position she has held since 1989.
Education
Attended Namasagali College for her high school education.
Studied law at Makerere University, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Laws (LLB), in 1978. Obtained a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in Kampala in 1979.
2000, she obtained a Diploma in Women's Law from the University of Zimbabwe.
2003, she obtained the degree of Master of Arts (MA), specializing in Women's Law, also from the University of Zimbabwe.
Work experience
Between 1984 and 1988, she was in private law practice.
1989 to 1996, she served as the member of parliament for Kamuli District in the District Woman's Constituency.
She served as the Chairperson of the University Council for Mbarara University, between 1993 and 1996.
During 1996, she served as Secretary General of the East African Women Parliamentarians Association.
From 1996 to 1998, Rebecca Kadaga was the Ugandan Minister of State for Regional Cooperation (Africa and the Middle East).
Served as Minister of State for Communication and Aviation from 1998 to 1999 and as Minister for Parliamentary Affairs from 1999 to 2000.
She was elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament in 2001, a position that she held until 19 May 2011, when she was elected Speaker of Parliament.
Following the February 2016 general election, Kadaga was unanimously re-elected as Speaker of Parliament on 19 May 2016
Parliamentary duties
Besides her duties as speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, she sits on the following parliamentary committees:
Appointments Committee – The Committee reviews all Cabinet appointments by the President, and may approve or reject an appointment:
The Speaker chairs the committee
The Parliamentary Commission – The Speaker chairs the Commission
The Business Committee – The Speaker chairs the committee
References
1. Joyce Namutebi, Henry Mukasa, and Milton Olupot (19 May 2011). "Kadaga Is First Female Speaker". New Vision (Kampala). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
2. Wambi, Michael (24 May 2011). "Politics: First Woman Speaker of Parliament Changing Politics". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
3. Uganda Parliament, . (2011). "Profile of Alitwala Rebecca Kadaga". Parliament of Uganda. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
4. Naturinda, Sheila (16 May 2011). "Speaker Ssekandi Quits for Kadaga". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
5. "Kadaga Speaker, Oulanyah Deputy", New Vision, 19 May 2016.
6. Muhumuza, Rodney (12 November 2012). "Uganda's Anti-Gay Bill To Pass This Year: Official". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
AWARDS OBTAINED