REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: HON TEZIRA'S POLITICAL STORY

HON Tezira Jamwa tells her story at FOWODE Head Offices

 HON TEZIRA JAMWA

Tezira Jamwa, besides being a Board Member of FOWODE, was recently elected National Vice Chairperson NRM Women’s League Representing Eastern Region. A big accomplishment and a great platform for the women of Uganda. How did she get here though? That question will lead us to who is Hon Jamwa really?

She is a daughter, a sister, a friend, a mother, a teacher, an activist and, a leader. Tezira is from the district of Tororo and was born in a polygamous family. First child of this family, her mother was a muganda who later separated with her father, leaving her children to be raised by husband’s second wife.

Growing up, you can say her birthright manifested in her. Because of her natural leadership skills but also the ever-present desire to lead, she found herself pulled by this gravity to make a difference. She knew that a good education was the key to all her leadership dreams and so she studied.

Hon Tezira Jamwa has a bachelors degree in SWASA, a post graduate diploma and a masters in Public Service that she attained at the University of Arkansas, Clinton’s of Public Service. Her education gave her the confidence and experience in dealing with people that grew her desire even stronger to educate her community.

First she became chairperson of the Mother’s Union after she got married to her deceased husband in 1983. She went on to be Chairperson of the Lioness Club, Tororo 1984-85.  Her career did not really kick off as a leader though until it was announced that the Uganda constitution was to be written.

Immediately. She thought to herself, “how can we influence the writing of the constitution to make sure that all policies agreed on were gender sensitive?” To this, her answer came in her next course of action. Hon Tezira contested for the West Budama Constituency Tororo District. The position had 6 candidates, 4 of whom were men and 2 were women going for the position and she came up second runner up. This was the 6^th parliament of Uganda 1996 and for a woman to be second runner up was a milestone in itself.

Not discouraged however, she used her position at district level to influence the women and the men to help craft a gender sensitive constitution. She says from the beginning she knew that the men would be a great help once on board if this was to be achieved. Out of the 284 delegates, there were 51 women elected from their respective district. The women delegates went ahead and created a caucus because they knew they needed to stand together if they had a chance at beating the odds before them.

Hon Tezira became the publicity secretary and Hon Winnie Byanyima took on the role of Executive Director for this caucus. They knew and accepted that they had a lot to learn and so they educated and trained themselves. They acquired public speaking skills and proposal writing. They wrote many proposals to different organizations trying to get recognition as serious women willing to change their communities. The Beijing Platform for Action later recognized, invited and sponsored 8 of the Women to china to attend the UN World Women’s Conference. They discussed a number of topics a few of which were women in politics, women in environment, women in health, and the girl child. On their return, they felt inspired but also realized their group was missing some critical members of the community. They added 5 women with disabilities, 5 workers and 5 youths to their group. Their group now whole, they asked themselves: what next?

CREATION OF FOWODE

Women in politics. This they made their main focus because they had a different dream for the woman of Uganda. They wanted to see her lead and lead with the right knowledge. An organization was then created. Forum for Women in Democracy was conceived on the 28^th of November and it was founded by 5 women namely; Hon Jamwa herself, Winnie Byanyima,Beninya Mukibi, Mukisa Solome, and the Late Esther Opoti and Betty Akech Okullo.

With a smile in her eyes, she seems to float back to the past. Remembering the first 8 by 8 one roomed office at Embassy house. She talks about how they had no furniture and used to sit on mats. Just 5 women having discussions and writing proposals hoping to make a difference for their gender in their country. An old land rover was their first donation and it was given to them by an organization named DANIDA. This seemed to kick start all of FOWODE’s good fortune. They gained just enough donations to move to a larger office space at Dwinton road and employ Program Officers. At this point, is when the current Executive Director Mrs Patricia Munabi Babiha joined the organization.

As FOWODE was still trying to find her footing, Hon Tezira also focused on her political career. She earned herself a spot on the National Task Force of President Museveni as a campaign manager. Not one to miss out on any opportunity, she made sure to run for the position of District Member of Parliament.

She had two advantages at this point. Her experience already with the women’s caucus and the fact that the current Member of Parliament of her district at the time had not done anything to help his community for 7 years. As circumstance would have it, she emerged the winner in these elections.

Becoming National Vice Chairperson NRM Women’s League Representing Eastern Region.

She picked up the nomination forms for which she had to pay 200,000 Ugandan shillings and registered. She was skeptical she admits. She had given up on Ugandan elective politics but she would not give up on a chance to make a difference either.  The process was faster than she expected for she made her speech to the people the same day voting was done and she was elected.

With a smile she remembers that it was her neighbor who encouraged her to run for this particular office. She already knew about it but was skeptical. Her neighbor, knowing her political background and leadership history, encouraged her to run telling her she would be the only woman in the race. This was a challenge she felt she needed to see through. She felt the need to represent the female front in this election.

Once the forms were picked up, filled and handed in she was vetted just her like those who stood against her. She did not have much of a budget but she worked with the little she had. She printed herself small posters and wrote herself a manifesto. Not just any manifesto to win her votes but one she strongly believed in.

HER VISION: “A VISIBLE, POLITICALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY, EMPOWERED WOMEN’S LEAGUE”

HER MISSION: “TO ADVOCATE FOR A FULLY FUNDED WOMEN’S LEAGUE STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN POLITICAL PARTIES ACTIVITIES AND LEADERSHIP”

Because of her budget constraints, she owes her gratitude to friends she has made over the years for her message reaching the whole of Eastern Uganda and others she dropped off herself on her way to contest. These are women and men she trained along the way in trainings like Organizational development at the time with WDN in westnile and with UWONET in Teso region. She also says new technology helped especially the very easy way of sending mass messages to nearly any number of contacts and she encourages women to learn it.

Future promises

God willing, she hopes to transform the structure of the Women’s League in the NRM party. She says in the past, women were dormant instead of using their positions of power to bring about gender sensitive change. Her experience, she believes will allow her to utilize her space to the maximum to promote the Women’s Agenda. The Women’s Manifesto that was recently launched will be her guide because in her opinion it holds all the answers and if implemented, could bring about the gender balance we have long been fighting for in this nation. She stresses however that her loyalty is to all the women of Uganda and not just those in the NRM party. Now she can influence the women body from the inside.

Look out for her and what she will bring to the table this coming term. She is a social worker so you’re bound to catch her at the forefront of anything unfair in society but do not be surprised to catch an article she has written in the paper. She considers herself a journalist and it is something she has done from time to time when she has felt a need to say something about any matter.

We congratulate and celebrate you Hon Tezira Jamwa and wish you the best on this new venture you are about to take on.