Who is Lina Zedriga, the woman chosen to lead NUP in Bobi Wine’s absence?

Dr Lina Zedriga Abuku Waru is a Ugandan lawyer, peacebuilding expert, lecturer and political leader who currently serves as deputy president of the National Unity Platform (NUP).

She recently took charge of the party’s activities after party leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, announced he would be leaving the country temporarily.

Dr Zedriga first rose to prominence in national politics in 2020 when she was unveiled as the second-in-command of the People Power pressure movement. At the time, the movement was led by Kyagulanyi before it later transformed into the National Unity Platform.

Born on September 8, 1961 in Vura Constituency in Arua District, Dr Zedriga has built a long career in law, governance and human rights advocacy.

She once served as a magistrate before turning her attention to activism and public leadership. Over the years, she has worked closely with organisations that promote women’s leadership, peacebuilding and democratic governance.

Dr Zedriga currently serves as secretary of the Uganda National Committee for the Prevention and Punishment of War Crimes Against Humanity and all forms of discrimination. In this role, she works on national and international initiatives aimed at preventing genocide, mass atrocities and discrimination against vulnerable groups.

Beyond her government work, she is a full-time activist committed to addressing social exclusion, particularly among women and marginalised communities. She is also a practising attorney, mentor and trainer in alternative and transformative leadership.

Her work extends across several organisations. She serves as Director of Women in Peace Building and Reconciliation and has been actively involved with the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), the Federation of Women Lawyers Uganda (FIDA-U), Trust for Africa’s Orphans and Kampala Quality Primary Schools.

Dr Zedriga also plays an important role in education. She has lectured at Victoria University Kampala and previously taught at Sewanee: The University of the South in the United States and the Harvard Kennedy School.

She is also the Executive Director of the Zedriga Foundation, which focuses on peacebuilding and community development in Northern Uganda.

Her academic background reflects her long commitment to justice and peacebuilding. She holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Resolution from Sewanee University in the United States. She also earned a Master of Arts in Human Rights and a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University.

Dr Zedriga further obtained postgraduate legal training from the Law Development Centre in Kampala and holds a postgraduate diploma in Women and Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

She has also completed several specialised courses, including genocide prevention training at the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation in Poland.

In addition, she has worked as a researcher and consultant on regional governance issues. She served as coordinator and principal investigator for IGAD research on inclusive mechanisms and has also worked as a consultant mediator for the World Bank.

Dr Zedriga’s political life has also been shaped by personal experiences. Her husband, Rauxen Zedriga, served as a coordinator for opposition leader Kizza Besigye in the West Nile region before he was reportedly kidnapped and went missing in August 2001.

Outside politics and activism, she is a mother of five and a grandmother of four. She has also mentored many young women entering leadership and public service.

Dr Zedriga speaks seven languages, including English, Acholi, Lango, Alur, Lugbara, Luganda and Swahili. Her ability to engage across communities has helped her build influence in peacebuilding, politics and social justice work across Uganda.