Rebbecca Alitwala Kadaga – The Enigma of the Woman!
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, marking a wave of change across Eastern Europe, a different kind of revolution was unfolding in Mbulamuti, a small village in Eastern Uganda. From this community emerged a bold woman who defied convention to lead as LC1 chairperson — Rebecca Kadaga.
Her leadership quickly earned her the trust of her people, and she rose to Parliament in a society where politics was largely male-dominated. She was appointed in the cabinet as Minister of State for Regional Cooperation (Africa&Middle East).
With the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution and the NRM’s Women’s Emancipation Agenda – which she strongly championed, Kadaga’s influence expanded with the introduction of the Woman MP position, In 1996 she contested and won — further cementing her role as a powerful voice for women&girls. So influential was her presence that many girls were named “Rebecca” after her. She later served as Minister of State for Communication& Aviation, and by the turn of the century, she was appointed Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
In 2001, her trajectory took another leap when she became Dept Speaker of Parliament, a role she held with distinction. Her name became almost synonymous with the office itself.
In 2012, Kadaga made history as the second woman in Africa (after Ghana’s Joyce Bamford-Addo) to be elected Speaker of Parliament — a position she held with pride and visibility. Her tenure oversaw major national debates, including the controversial removal of presidential age limits.
In 2021, she lost her party’s endorsement for the Speaker position to the late Jacob Oulanyah, a contest she nevertheless fought independently, securing 197 votes. Though she lost, she was later appointed Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister.
Most recently, in 2025, amidst controversy, she contested for the position of 2nd Vice National (Female) Chairperson of the ruling NRM party but lost to Anita Among.
A couple of things stands out for me:
- Her journey continues to inspire generations particularly women proving that leadership is not about titles, but about the courage to step forward & lead when it matters most.
- What got you here wont get you there – Marshall Goldsmith. Often the same beliefs that contributed to our past successes can also hinder our future successes. Always keep on a constant journey of leveling up because it turns out it’s a jungle out there – level up add value to yourself build capacity and moment because on the day of reconcking like David before Saul your credibility will be brought to test and you will need to prove yourself. Build strategic transgenerational alliances
- And atimes read the handwriting on the wall.Know when and what to stop.Often, we fail to recognize when seasons× change. We lose discernment, even when the signs are clear. Like a captain aboard the Black Pearl, our eyes must remain fixed on the waves—for tides can shift in a matter of a second
