NRM’s established pathway for women’s leadership

___________________

OPINION

By Amb Robie Kakonge

Uganda’s journey under the leadership of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is often discussed in terms of peace, prosperity, and security. Less frequently acknowledged—but equally significant—is the deliberate and enduring pathway the NRM has built for women’s leadership. This record reflects not accident or symbolism, but an ideological commitment that has shaped Uganda’s governance for decades.

Long before women’s leadership became a global talking point, President Yoweri Museveni appointed Uganda’s and Africa’s first female Vice President, a visionary decision preceding country such as the US. 

More recently, he appointed the country’s second Vice President, H.E. Jessica Alupo. Today, Ugandan women serve prominently in Cabinet, Parliament, the judiciary, and key public institutions.

On the international stage, women represent Uganda as Heads of Mission in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Ethiopia, and beyond. I am honoured to be among them as Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States of America.

For women who serve in these roles, our leadership reflects a core principle of the NRM: that empowering women, including ensuring their full participation in decision-making, has been a deliberate choice since the movement assumed leadership, and is rooted in the NRM’s foundational beliefs about governance, democracy, and national development.

From its earliest years, the NRM recognised that sustainable development and political stability could not be achieved while excluding half of the population.

Women’s participation was, therefore, understood as a strategic necessity, not a symbolic concession.

This thinking guided the integration of women into national life—as political leaders, public servants, and members of the security forces.

Overtime, this ideology was translated into concrete policies and institutions. Constitutional provisions, legal reforms, and affirmative action measures were established to promote gender balance and ensure meaningful participation by women at both national and local levels of governance. These frameworks did not merely open doors; they created pathways for capable women from diverse backgrounds to serve.

Today, women such as the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja, and the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, exemplify this progress.

Across Parliament, Cabinet, local government, and public institutions, women leaders are shaping policy and redefining leadership norms. Their presence has helped foster a more inclusive political culture—one that emphasises service, competence, and commitment rather than tokenism.

Women’s leadership also strengthens democracy itself.

A democratic system is credible only when it reflects the society it governs. Including women broadens representation, enhances accountability, and ensures that public policies respond to the realities of families and communities. This inclusivity deepens citizen participation and reinforces the legitimacy of democratic institutions.

In practical terms, women leaders have been instrumental in shaping policy in education, health, social welfare, and community development—sectors that lie at the heart of national progress and social stability.

By elevating issues that affect everyday life, women in leadership have contributed to more balanced, responsive, and humane governance.

As Uganda looks to the future, it is important to recognise what is at stake….preserving and strengthening the foundations that have enabled women’s leadership to flourish. Without these foundations, representation risks becoming narrow and symbolic, rather than broad and transformative.

Ultimately, empowering women in leadership is not only a matter of equality; it is a pillar of national development. Societies that fully harness the talents of women and men are better positioned to achieve stability, innovation, and inclusive growth.

The NRM’s long-standing emphasis on women’s empowerment reflects a clear understanding of this truth.

As Uganda continues its democratic journey, the task ahead is to deepen and sustain this ideological commitment. Make your vote count—for women’s leadership.

The writer is the Ambassador and Head of Mission, Uganda Embassy, Washington, D.C.