By Andrew Irumba
Kasese: The woman representative for Kasese District in Parliament and former leader of opposition Hon. Winnie Kiiza has bid farewell to the people of Kasese as she quits Kasese Woman MP seat after serving in the position for three elective terms.
In a statement she released dated July 14, Kiiza said “I have continuously talked about overstaying in power, I will not be different if I sought office this time. I know the people of Kasese loved me and wanted me to continue being their Member of Parliament. It’s a job I loved doing because I knew I had the backing of my people had their support. I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me”.
She added that the only way she can feel successful is by participating in the election of her successor. “I want to give chance to another lady to come up. I have talked so many times about overstaying in power I will not be different if I sought office this time,” she said.
She further thanked the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) under the leadership of Dr. Kizza Besigye and then Mugisha Muntu for according her opportunities that highlighted her leadership qualities, including serving as the first female leader of the Opposition in the political history of Uganda.
“In a special way, I thank my lovely husband Hon. Bwambale Yokasi Bihande, family and friends for the support all through this journey,” Kiiza noted.
She added, “As I am about to take leave, I want to give you assurance that I will continue holding on to the struggle for good governance, human dignity, equality and justice.”
Kiiza’s entry into full-time politics occurred in the 1996 to 2001 political season, during which she served on the Kasese District Local Council as the District Secretary for Finance.
In 2001, she was reelected to the district council, serving as Secretary for Education and later Secretary for Social Services.
She contested the Kasese district Woman parliamentary seat in 2006, on the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) political party ticket where she won and was re-elected in 2011 and in 2016.
In May 2016, Kiiza, at age 44, was appointed Leader of Opposition in the parliament of Uganda, making her the first woman to assume that position in the history of the country until August 2018 when she was replaced as by Betty Ochan.
