More women seeking top DP positions
DP has traditionally been male dominated since 1954, but the emergence of women as potential leaders is a welcome change, according to party electoral management committee chairperson Mutenyo Kennedy.
The DP party president generals since the formation of the party in 1954 to date showing only men who have contested on top positions. (Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba)
Isaac Nuwagaba
Journalist @New Vision
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As the Democratic Party (DP) gears up for its 2025 delegates conference in Mbarara city on May 30, 2025, the 71-year-old party is seeing many women expressing interest in taking up top leadership positions.
DP has traditionally been male dominated since 1954, but the emergence of women as potential leaders is a welcome change, according to party electoral management committee chairperson Mutenyo Kennedy.
Addressing the weekly media conference at DP's National Campaign Headquarters in Namirembe, Kampala city, Mutenyo challenged young women who have been at the extreme end to join DP to attain positions that influence policy decisions in society.
“In 2020, women who had shown interest to run for political offices at all levels were only 15 but this time round, we have received over 50 women leaders wanting to participate in leadership,” Mutenyo added.
Mutenyo Kennedy, the DP chairman electoral management committee signing forms of expression of interest from candidates who shown interest in contesting on the top seat.
DP's gender policy and constitution emphasize inclusivity and equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of gender, on all election positions through implementation of temporary special measures to increase the number of women in politics, he said.
“Uganda has constitutional obligations to ensure gender equality, including the right to vote and run for public office. This transformative change is needed to ensure that all women and girls fully exercise their human rights, free from discrimination, coercion and violence,” Mutenyo added.
“Democracy without women is incomplete and that’s why our policy has helped us to recruit more women in our ranks before the national delegates conference is held in Mbarara district slated for May 30, 2025”.
Electoral gender quotas in Uganda, first introduced in 1989, have increased women’s numbers in Uganda’s parliament to 34%. Today there are 189 women out of 557 Members of Parliament.
“The electorate has additionally grown accustomed to believing that since women have seats reserved for them, they should stay out of the race for open seats. One of the reasons for this continued marginalisation is that the country’s political parties have done little to empower women and that’s why DP is here to include them.”
DP Women’s League president Sarah Adong appealed to women to embrace leadership roles and offer themselves for different leadership positions ahead of the party's delegates conference.
“56 women have already expressed interest in vying for top positions in the party, and approximately 30 per cent of the delegates at the upcoming Mbarara conference will be women,” she added.
She asked party members to give women and youth opportunities to contest for the different positions in order to create a conducive and healthy competitive environment.
According to DP secretary general Gerald Siranda, the upcoming delegates conference in Mbarara is expected to attract over 1,600 delegates from all over the country.