Mar 01 2026
JANET WESONGA
Janet Wesonga, née Tingu (born c.1928) is a Ugandan former local politician. As mayor of Mbale, she was Uganda’s first African woman mayor. An Anglican, she also served on the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. Janet Tingu came from Buwabwala. She married Akisoferi Wesonga, later Bishop of Mbale.In 1962 she was active in the Ugandan independence movement.[1] In October 1967, aged 39, Wesonga became mayor of Mbale, Uganda.[2] She was Mayor of Mbale for four years. She served as Mayor of Mbale between 1967 to 1971. At the 1968 Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Uppsala, Wesonga was elected as one of only two women on the WCC’s Executive Committee.[3] This enabled her to participate in WCC activity across the globe. In 1969 Wesonga attended a WCC Executive Committee Meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma,[4] later also visiting St. Louis, Missouri.[5] In 1971 she attended the WCC Executive Committee meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria.[6] In 1979 Wesonga was part of a delegation representing the Church of Uganda at the Mother’s Union conference in Australia.[7] Under her leadership, Mbale was the cleanest town in Uganda and east AfricaAt nearly 96 years old (her birthday is at the end of April), Canon Janet still remembers driving around in her Volkswagen as she did her work. At the time, not many women drove, and she was a marvel. People would literally line the roads to stare at her as she drove. As the only female mayor at the time, she led 24 men, but she led well because she was respected, and people were civil in affairs of the district, were hardworking, and collegial. While Canon Janet is happy that more women now occupy leadership positions, she reminds us not to take this for granted and to continue to make a difference for the community. Wesonga says during her time and even immediately after she had left office, Mbale flew in glory for it has been dubbed the cleanest town in in Uganda and East Africa. Looking back to her times, Wesonga says many things seem to have gone wrong in the administration of the municipality which was recently elevated to city status. She reveals that key to the delivery of services was cooperation between the political wing with the technical persons. Wesonga says unlike now, the previous mayors of the towns were appointed and vested with powers to ensure that services are delivered. Wesonga was appointed Mayor in 1967 to 1971. Out of the 21 councilors who were in the Mbale council then, Wesonga was the only woman and the rest were men.She had served as a counselor at the district council from 1960 to 1964. Janet Wesonga she was the only female on the council of 24 councilors. With four years’ experience as a counselor, she was one of the councilors from whom new councilors would consult. She in an interview said her appointment as the mayor Mbale came as surprise having learnt of it from over radio with the then then town clerk Peter Otai congratulating her upon becoming the first black female mayor in Uganda. During her regime, Mbale town council set up a home for the needy on Kumi road near the referral hospital where all homeless people were accommodated and beggars were only allowed on the streets on Fridays.She was the age of four placed under the missionary church at Nabumali where she started nursery education at Nabumali boarding school. After completing J.4, she was advised to join the teaching profession. She was admitted at Buloba Teachers’ College. On completion, Janet Wesonga deployed to Kabwangasi Primary Teacher’s College. The college had a boarding primary school which she headed for some time before she was promoted to a tutor at Kabwangasi Primary Teacher’s College. In 1959, she relocated to Mbale town council. At the time, the colonial administrators asked for the nomination female councilor to the council.
Mar 01 2026
PAULINE MANIRAGUHA BANGIRANA
The first policewoman to go on patrol in Uganda was Pauline Maniraguha Bangirana. She was a Rwandese born in 1942, serving and educated in Uganda and she completed comprehensive training at the Police Training School in Nsambya. Maniraguha was convinced to join police force in September 1960 by her sister Patricia and brother in-law Mr. Ayigihugu after they saw an advert in English Newspaper known as Uganda Argus. The advert asked women aged 18 to 21 years who were single or divorced to join police. She was not enthusiastic about police since she wanted to be a Community Development Assistant. Mr. Ayigihugu insisted on taking her to the recruitment officer and the rest was history. By the time of her retirement, she had risen to the rank of Superintendent of Police and holds a Police Centenary Medal. Maniraguha’s resilience and advocacy for equal treatment is one of the reasons why treatment of female police personnel has tremendously evolved over the years. Unlike today where policewomen hold high command positions, Maniraguha says that back then, the women police section was simply not an integral part of the force. Women would be recruited purposely to handle children and women who conflicted with the law.Maniraguha was in the pioneer cohort of 10 females to join Uganda Police Force in 1960. She says in her autobiography that although policewomen were permitted to marry, it was an abomination for the logical outcome of marriage, getting pregnant to happen. In her autobiography, Maniraguha narrates that pregnancy was always enough to show policewomen the exit from the force. In 1965, Maniraguha applied for marriage and her request was granted and she tied the knot at Christ the King Church. But the joy was short-lived when she reported her pregnancy six months later, and she was told to resign. The basis of the order? Chapter 3 of the Police Standing Order, which stated that if a pregnant female police officer refused to leave the force on her accord, the police would dismiss her. “I wrote to Mr. Oryema begging him to consider my case compassionately” Maniraguha recounts. “I pointed out the fact that he allowed me to get married and the result of my marriage was pregnancy. I also showed him Chapter 30 of the PSO which stated that if a woman police was pregnant and wished to resign, she would be discharged at her own request.” Oryema granted her request extending to her annual leave of 36 days plus 90 days of unpaid leave. Now aged 80 years, Maniraguha advices young female officers on how best they can handle advances from their colleagues, using tips she learnt from a colleague she met at a police station in United Kingdom in 1964. Maniraguha Bangirana details her experience as Uganda’s first policewoman in her book, “To Be Shred without Appearing a Shrew,”
Mar 01 2026
REBECCA MULIRA (1920- 2002)
Rebecca Allen Namugenze Mukasa also known as Rebecca Mulira was a Ugandan women’s rights advocate and social activist born in Mengo Hospital on 14 May. She played an integral role advancing gender equality despite facing significant patriarchal resistance. As a lifelong advocate dedicated to equal rights and opportunities for women, Mulira helped strengthen their political participation and representation in society through visionary advocacy initiatives. “I feel privileged to honour a very distinguished Ugandan. Mulira led a very rich and active life. we all know her achievements in women’s organizations. Mrs. Mulira also played a significant role in the Buganda royal family,” Kabaka Mutebi, King of Buganda said of the pioneering champion for women’s empowerment and social justice in Uganda. Rebecca Mulira and other women activists were greatly involved and instrumental in the return of Ssekabaka Muteesa II from exile in 1955. Through many different action including protests and writing open letters to the colonial government, she fought for the end of colonialism, the respect of the Nnabagereka, the return of the Kabaka as well as the creation of political opportunities for women. Following Muteesa’s deportation, women exhibited distress throughout Buganda and as early as January 1954, Mulira initiated various campaigns throughout Buganda to guarantee the end of the Kabaka’s exile. With 4 other women, Mulira warned Bishop Leslie Brown that the Kabaka’s deportation might result in bloodshed and stated that’ “the British Government had not right in all justice, to force his separation from us, without the previous unanimous consent of his people.” By the end of January, Mulira with 24 women petitioned the then governor of Uganda, reminding him that the Kabaka’s authority derived from the consent of the people and the Church, not the colonial government. The following day, she mobilized 3 buses of women to protest before Governor Cohen and as a result women were front and centre in securing the Kabaka’s return from exile. Amid the re-emergence of Uganda’s kingdoms, Mulira courageously advocated for expanded women’s inclusion within the traditionally male-dominated Buganda monarchy. She advocated abolishing discriminatory laws and customs that inhibited women’s inheritance, property ownership, and political voice. Through principled nonviolent action alongside grassroots women’s associations she helped found, Mulira applied steady pressure that ultimately yielded landmark reforms establishing equal citizenship. Beyond the Buganda kingdom, Mulira worked tirelessly at the national level promoting women’s leadership across government, business, and civic participation. Rebecca Mulira was unique woman right from her birth and she contributed a great deal towards the advancement of women in Uganda through leadership of such organizations as the multi-cultural Uganda Council of Women, the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) and Family Planning Association of Uganda. She served as a founding member of influential organizations like the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers, the Uganda Women’s Network and Mulira was among the founding members of the Pan African Women’s Organization, where she worked to amplify women’s voices and platform their diverse issues. Holding workshops, public dialogues, and legal trainings in remote communities, Mulira worked to strengthen rural women’s empowerment, livelihood opportunities, and protections against domestic abuse. Even as she faced threats to her safety, Mulira persevered with grace, wisdom, and strategic nonviolence. She leaves an enduring legacy as one of Uganda’s most impactful early advocates for establishing women’s inherent rights, dignity, and full inclusion in decisions shaping their lives, communities, and country. She was made a Vice-president of the LegCo in 1961 and Rebecca used this position to influence Ugandan affairs particularly exercising her efforts to improve and elevate the status of women in Uganda. Among her numerous contributions, she was at one time a councilor in Kampala City Council and Mengo Municipality as well as being on the boards of National Housing Corporation, Housing Finance Company, Mulago Hospital and many more. It is quite possible that were it not for the efforts of women like her and her colleagues, Uganda would not have had a woman vice-president today. In the 1950s, Mulira said it was her intention to make sure that women took part in politics as this was not the norm at the time. Mulira helped move the needle of progress towards a more just and equitable society.