MP Ssemujju wants end to women’s affirmative action

The opposition legislator believes that the cross-cutting women empowerment programs that the current NRM government introduced decades ago have been the root cause of the leadership crisis that the country is suffering.

“I am not one of the supporters of affirmative action,” he said on Tuesday.

“Affirmative action especially once abused, has opened the door for everybody and it ended up bringing “kunkumula” politicians.”

Hon Nganda was speaking at a special parliamentary sitting to commemorate the life of the deceased former Minister for Primary Education Hon Joyce Mpanga, who passed away last Saturday.

Nganda said that in the past when growth and excellence were based on merit, people like tMpanga were able to rise up and do great work for their country, unlike today when half-baked leaders fill up most of the highest offices in the country.

“At the beginning our society glorified excellence…that is why the likes of Joyce Mpaga made it to the top,” he said.

“What we are doing now is that people are simply promoting their children by appointment and military ranks when the Mpangas took their children to school,” he added.

It should be noted that the Government of Uganda has been praised internationally for its affirmative action measures which it introduced over three decades ago in the education sector and in government.

Because of these programs, the number of girls going to school has now grown to match that of boys from primary school up to university level.

There has also been significant improvement in women’s representation from local councils, to Parliament and key government positions. 

Mpanga, who passed away at the age of 89, served among others as the Minister of Women in Development from 1988 to 1989 and the Minister of State for Primary Education from 1989 to 1992.