Doreen Nyanjura, the Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor, says her zeal to bring about change in the country remains unshaken.
She is bold and stuck to her fight to ensure that justice and freedom prevail in our society.
In an interview with the Nile Post, Nyanjura shared with us her personal life and a number of things she thinks can make Uganda a better country.
Excerpts below:
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Who is Doreen Nyanjura?
Thanks so much Nile Post for wanting to profile me. Doreen Nyanjura was born 33 years ago in a very humble village called Nyamabuga .It is in Kyenjojo District. Doreen Nyanjura is an activist for change, an activist for women, an activist of People Living with Disability (PWDs) .I am a feminist and I am also a gender scholar. I am the Deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala and I am so the NEC member of Forum for Democratic Change(FDC).
Were you close to either of your parents and why that parent?
Ahahahah (laughing), that is interesting. I was close to my dad because at a tender age my dad and mum separated. And when they separated I spent the biggest percentage of my childhood with my father. My father was teaching at Nyakasura School. That is why I don’t understand certain sentiments that I see in the media, when people say men can’t cook and that cooking is the responsibility of women. For me I learnt most of this domestic work from my father.
Which schools did you attend and what influence did they have on you?
My father for a long time worked and taught at Nyakasura the School and I studied from Nyakasura Junior School and it is the subset of Nyakasura the School. That is a school that was started largely for the children of the staff that work at Nyakasura the School. From there I went to Kyebambe Girls’ School from S.1 to S.4.
Why didn’t you join Nyakasura the School?
This is because I knew Nyakasura the school in and out. The other thing, my father was the Deputy Head teacher and he was very tough. I know there were many students who were suspended because if he finds you in the wrong he punishes you accordingly. So, somehow there were students who were waiting to get revenge for whatever my father had done to them. So, they were waiting for me to go there aso that they could take revenge on me. There was a lot of teasing in the school by the way but now it has died out. Those were the two reasons why I didn’t go to Nyakasura School. Then, I left Kyebambe and went to Masheruka Girls’ School for S.5 and then I decided to go back home in Kyenjojo and that is where I did my S.6 exams from. From there, I joined Makerere University as a government student.
What course did you pursue at Makerere University?
I did tourism hahahah (laughing). I know most people get shocked, most people think I am a lawyer but I have not done law. I didn’t want to be a teacher by the way for some reasons and yet my father is a teacher and he inspired us. I have always wanted to do law. So, even when I was offered tourism, I told my dad I want to do law .So my father told me that ‘you can always go back and do law’.
When did you realise you needed to enter politics and why?
I think it is not about politics .I have been a leader all my life. I have been a leader from the time I joined school in nursery. I was the class monitor in P.1. I have been a leader throughout my primary life. In Kyebambe I was still a class monitor .In S.3 I contested and became the House prefect, so I have been there. At A level when I reached Masheruka I was the chairperson of the school council. Makerere University was the same thing; I was the guild vice president. This is something which is part of me.
What was your first political victory and what did you learn from it?
My first victory at national level was when I contested to become the secretary for trade and investment in the FDC. And in that race I remember we were six. Most of the people I was competing with were men and some of them were there (before me). I defeated all those adults and it showed that people had trust in me because that was a national delegate conference. The second and probably the most memorable is when I was going to contest to be LC5 woman councilor for Makerere University with no money at all. Most of the money I used to run the campaign came from students I was with at campus. And I managed to win that election but even when I had won that election, they still wanted to announce the NRM person who was the second. So, they were planning to announce the NRM candidate.
What do you consider as a principle you can never compromise?
I always tell people that my conscience, I can never compromise my conscience. If something is wrong, it is wrong. Conscience comprises a lot of things. They say every man has his or her own price. I believe I don’t have a price, I can never betray my conscience because someone has given me money. Never.
What guides you when you are practicing politics?
My father has always told me that right is right and wrong is wrong. So for me, what guides me, if I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt even if it means standing alone that I am on the right track, no one is going to convince me otherwise.
What are your hobbies and passion outside politics?
There are not quite many. There are things that I do almost on a daily basis. I love reading. I see people creating excuses how they don’t have time and I don’t get it. If you have time to stay on social media for two or three hours, then you have time to get a book and read.
Are you married?
I am married to the struggle .I don’t have a husband and I have told people that I don’t intend to have a husband but I intend to have a partner because when you look at the husband in the African sense of the word ,you know what I mean when I talk of a husband. For me I have a partner, I don’t have a husband.
What is the difference between a partner and a husband?
As a feminist and a gender scholar, a partner I believe is someone that we have an equal stake. I don’t believe in this business that cooking is only for the woman or a man should be the one to pay for rent .I believe in equity .My partner should be able to cook and that should not be viewed as that he is doing me a favour.Paying rent, buying meals should be a responsibility of whoever can afford to do so. For me, that is the kind of partnership and relation that I am talking about.
When do you expect to get married?
Actually my wedding could be happening soon but I am going to be having a partner. I have made it clear, I have not been single for a very long time but people keep on insisting that I am single even when I keep telling them I am not single. I am in a relationship .So for those asking whether I am married, I am married to the struggle but I am also in a relationship. For those who had hopes ahahahahah (laughing), I am sorry.
Why do you think that the issue of marriage is discouraging young women from politics?
There is a lot of blackmail if you are not married and you hold a big position. And yet I know for sure that marriage is not one of the qualifications for me to be a Deputy Lord Mayor. I know for sure that marriage is not one of the qualifications for one to be a councillor or for one to contest as an MP. Those are not some of the qualifications that are needed. I am not married but I can tell you without any aorta of doubt that I have performed even better than those who are married .So young women should stop being diverted.
How many children do you have?
I have one daughter and she is eight years old .And at the time I was pregnant, I was arrested four times by the way and that is why most people don’t believe that I have a daughter. I was pregnant but very active.
Who is the father of your daughter?
Omwagazaki? Hahahahahah (laughing), he is around. I don’t want to mention him .What you should know is that I have a daughter and of course the father is there. He is a caring man; he takes care of his daughter. So I have no complaints.
Why do you discourage women from kneeling before men?
I have already told you that I believe in equity. Why should people think it is okay for women to kneel. If kneeling is okay, why don’t the men kneel continuously? It doesn’t make sense to me. If I am going to kneel; the man should also be able to kneel because for me I believe we are all equal. I hate when people use culture as an excuse. Culture is not static, culture is dynamic, and culture has been changing.
(One time) my daughter came back (from school) and said ‘Mummy in class (we are asked to kneel). I actually had to even change her school. {She told me) that they were saying girls should kneel and the boys should stand. These things don’t make sense to me. That is how we began to train our girls to continue looking at themselves as inferior or below men and for me I don’t believe in that because at the tender age girls know that they are supposed to kneel for the men. Is that in the Bible? Those who are comfortable doing it, it is ok.
What would you consider your most prized possession?
The most prized possession, for me I don’t worship earthly things. I have a conscience which I cannot betray and I have no price .So, no one can (offer money to buy me off).
What is the best piece of advice you can give to young people?
I advise the young people to believe in themselves .You should not let the family background even if it is humble to determine your future .Most of the people we admire come from humble backgrounds .You don’t need to be from a certain background for you to offer leadership. Young people should get up and give direction to this country.
