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 Africa
At 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.