News reaching our desk confirms that Rhoda Nakibuuka Nsibirwa Kalema, the pioneering Ugandan politician and social worker revered as the “Mother of Parliament,” has died at the age of 96.
However, her family confirmed the news in a message circulated this morning, stating, “Good morning, family. With deep sorrow I am informing you about the demise of Mama Canon Rhoda Kalema, who passed on this morning from Nairobi Hospital.”
MS Kalema, who succumbed to age-related illnesses, was last seen in public last weekend at a Scripture Union conference in Kiboga District.
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She was among the first women to sit in Uganda’s post-Amin National Consultative Council and later served as Deputy Minister of Public Service under President Yoweri Museveni from 1989 to 1991.
Furthermore, she was also elected to Uganda’s Constituent Assembly in 1994, defeating eight male contenders in Kiboga District in a historic vote that cemented her legacy as a national icon of women’s political empowerment.
In 1980, Ms. Kalema co-founded the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM), enduring repeated arrests during the political unrest of the early 1980s.
In 1996, she was honored by the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), and in 2018, Pepperdine University awarded her a Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2021, she published her memoir, My Life Is But a Weaving, an intimate reflection on her life from royal childhood to public service, offering insights into Uganda’s colonial and post-independence journey.
In conclusion, Rhoda Kalema leaves behind a towering legacy of courage, resilience, and unwavering service to the nation.
written by @enock katamba
- Enock Katamba is a Ugandan Journalist and Founder of Uncovered UG, an independent digital news platform covering Uganda and international developments. He reports on politics, national affairs, entertainment, sports, business, education and other stories of public interest.
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Rest In Peace Rhoda Nakibuuka Kalema