DP pledges support for women's activities

The Democratic Party (DP) has committed itself to supporting the women's league of the party in its series of grassroots outreach activities. 

The league is to organize regional workshops in the four traditional regions of Uganda under the theme: "Strengthening Multiparty Democracy and Rule of Law, Empowering DP Women to Participate in Decision Making." 

Last week a regional workshop attended by about 100 women that constitute the greater Northern region including district women leaders commenced in Gulu District; this was also attended by the party president Norbert Mao and some members of the Executive committee who officiated at the workshop. 

"We made a resolution that women from the north and eventually women from other parts of Uganda will be mentored by these other women in the party, for example Teddy Nambooze (Mpigi flag bearer) is going to mentor two to three women on how to be a better leader," Mao said. 

Mao made these remarks on Tuesday during the weekly press at the party head office at City House in Kampala. 

Mao revealed that a team of 12 women was appointed to coordinate the women's league group in the entire northern Uganda. The team is supposed to go back and hold sub regional meetings, two days for each region, that is Karamoja, Acholi, Lango and West Nile regions. 

The purpose for this is to discuss special projects women can engage in to be able to sustain themselves and their families instead of waiting for handouts from government and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).  

The women will be trained fundraising among other skills.

Candidate identification is also one of the main purposes for these meetings because the party believes that women need to take part in leadership and decision making processes. 

"We need women who are willing to stand for office, we insist that women should be there where decisions are being made, it's not enough to say that the men are talking for us," Mao asserted. 

"The party commits itself to support the women's activities financially. Within the party we have decided that all leagues shall have their own vote that is the women and youth leagues. And the women's league will control its own vote which they will definitely account for," he added. 

Mao however commended women in the central region for being at a better level compared to women in other regions. A number of women from the Central region have at least taken up some leadership roles compared to their counterparts. 

"We are grateful for the women in the central region because comparatively, they are at a higher level because they have been involved in politics for long, we pledge our full support for the women's league and we urge the youth to also do the same, once the women realize that," Mao said.