By By Godfrey Olukya 5-9-2013
Uganda’s speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga yesterday won Australian MP from Western Australia Lisa Parker in elections held in South Africa to become the new chairperson of the Commonwealth women parliamentarians -international (CWP).
Kadaga beat her rival Lisa Parker from Australia with 68 votes against 29 votes at the 59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association International Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Kadagas was nominated by South Africa and seconded by Tanzania and Singerpole.
The Common wealth Women Parliamentarians Association (CWP), a sub-structure of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, was founded in 1911.
Its work focuses mainly on the fields of good governance, democracy, elections and human rights, and promoting awareness of parliamentary democracy.
Ugandans have become excited over Kadaga’s becoming the chairperson of CWP.
”She is a great woman that is why she has managed to win the Austrailan MP. We thank all those who voted in her favor.” said women activists leader in Uganda Susan Akello.
Ugandan members of of parliament have hailed speaker Rebecca kadaga for wining the post of the chairperson ship of common wealth women parliamentarians international.
MPs who included Kanungu woman MP Elizabeth Karungi, Mubende woman MP Namugwanya Benny, Connie Nyakayenze of Mbale district and John Bagole from Busoga region said that Kadaga s victory shows the capability of women leadership in Uganda as a country.
Among what she has to do in her new position is overseeing women affairs in parliaments in the 54 Commonwealth countries. She is also expected to promote the objectives of CWP which centre around advocating for the increase of female representation in parliaments and working towards mainstreaming gender within all CPA activities and programmes.
Kadaga who is a lawyer by profession, is also a member of parliament and she is the first female to be elected Speaker in the history of parliament in Uganda.
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