# Rhoda Kalema

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**Rhoda Nakibuuka Nsibirwa Kalema** (10 May 1929 – 3 August 2025) was a Ugandan politician known as the country's [Mother of Parliament](/source/Mother_of_Parliament).[1][2]

## Early life and education

Rhoda Kalema was born on 10 May 1929,[3] one of 24 children of [Martin Luther Nsibirwa](/source/Martin_Luther_Nsibirwa), who was twice appointed [Katikkiro](/source/Katikkiro_of_Buganda) (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of [Buganda](/source/Buganda) in [Uganda](/source/Uganda).[2][4] She was born on 10 May 1929 in the [Butikkiro](/source/List_of_National_Cultural_Sites_in_Central_Region,_Uganda), [Protectorate of Uganda](/source/Protectorate_of_Uganda), the official residence of the Katikkiro, in the [Mengo](/source/Mengo,_Uganda) neighbourhood of [Kampala](/source/Kampala).[4]

Kalema attended [Gayaza](/source/Gayaza) Junior School for a year, and then [King's College Budo](/source/King's_College_Budo) for the remainder of her primary and secondary schooling. She enrolled in a commercial course in secretarial training, and worked as secretary and bursar at [Gayaza High School](/source/Gayaza_High_School) until 1949.[4] In 1950, she married [William Kalema](/source/William_Kalema_(politician)), a teacher at King's College Budo who later became a renowned politician and Government Minister of Commerce.[5] In 1955 she commenced a one-year course in Social Work and Social Administration at [Newbattle Abbey](/source/Newbattle_Abbey#College), an [Adult Education College](/source/Adult_education) in the United Kingdom,[2] followed by a Diploma in Social Studies at the University of Edinburgh.[citation needed][6]

## Political career

In 1961, [Grace Ibingira](/source/Grace_Ibingira) and Adoko Nyekon initiated Rhoda Kalema into the [Uganda People's Congress](/source/Uganda_People's_Congress). She was a junior minister of Culture and Community Development in [Binaisa](/source/Binaisa)'s administration.[2] However, after the death of her husband in 1972—he was abducted and killed during [Idi Amin's regime](/source/Second_Republic_of_Uganda)[5]—she gave up political participation until 1979 when, after [Idi Amin](/source/Idi_Amin)'s downfall, she joined the National Consultative Council (NCC) formed by the [Uganda National Liberation Front](/source/Uganda_National_Liberation_Front) under [Edward Rugumayo](/source/Edward_Rugumayo), as one of two female representatives.[2] In 1980 she was one of the founding members of the [Uganda Patriotic Movement](/source/Uganda_Patriotic_Movement) (UPM).[7]

She was arrested three times by the State agents: on 23 January 1979; on 21 February 1981 (when she and other politicians were arrested after numerous attacks on police stations[8]) and on 4 February 1983.[2]

Kalema became [Deputy Minister of Public Service](/source/Ministry_of_Public_Service_(Uganda)) from 1989 until 1991 under President [Yoweri Museveni](/source/Yoweri_Museveni). In 1994, she stood for the [Constituent Assembly elections](/source/1994_Ugandan_Constituent_Assembly_election)[9] as the [Kiboga](/source/Kiboga) representative, and defeated 8 male opponents after scooping two thirds of the entire vote.[10] She later retired[when?] from politics after grooming a number of notable politicians such as [Ruth Nankabirwa](/source/Ruth_Nankabirwa), the [Chief Whip](/source/Chief_Whip) in [Uganda's Cabinet](/source/Cabinet_of_Uganda).[11]

She was honoured in 1996 by Uganda's Forum for Women in Democracy "as a transformative leader".[12] On 13 March 2018, she received the Sudreau Global Justice Lifetime Achievement Award from the [Pepperdine University School of Law](/source/Pepperdine_University_School_of_Law) and the Ugandan Judiciary.[13]

## Death

Kalema died on 3 August 2025, at the age of 96.[14]

## See also

- [Parliament of Uganda](/source/Parliament_of_Uganda)
- [Butikkiro](/source/List_of_National_Cultural_Sites_in_Central_Region,_Uganda)
- [Ruth Nankabirwa](/source/Ruth_Nankabirwa)

## External links

- [Website of the Parliament of Uganda](https://www.parliament.go.ug/)

## References

1. Katungulu, Amon. ["Trailblazing Ugandan Politician Rhoda Kalema Dies at 96"](https://nilepost.co.ug/news/277389/breaking-trailblazing-ugandan-politician-rhoda-kalema-dies-at-96). *Nilepost News*. Retrieved 3 August 2025.

1. Magoba, Brian (21 April 2012). ["Rhoda Kalema: Defying the odds"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180309054537/http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/ugandaat50/1370466-1390290-14eho8a/index.html). *Daily Monitor*. Archived from [the original](http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/ugandaat50/1370466-1390290-14eho8a/index.html) on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

1. [Rhoda Nakibuuka Kalema, "Mother of Parliament," dies at 96](https://www.pulse.ug/articles/news/rhoda-nakibuuka-kalema-mother-of-parliament-dies-at-96-2025080308284819248)

1. Wambi, Michael. ["At 88, Rhoda Kalema Plans to Publish her Autobiography"](https://ugandaradionetwork.com/story/at-88-rhoda-kalema-plans-to-publish-her-autobiography). *Uganda Radio Network*. Retrieved 4 April 2018.

1. ["William Kalema the champion that never returned home"](https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1308457/william-kalema-champion-returned-home). *www.newvision.co.ug*. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

1. Commonwealth Secretariat (2000). *Women in Politics :Voices from the Commonwealth*. Pall Mall, London, United Kingdom: Commonwealth Secretariat. p. 148. ISBN 0-85092-569-X.

1. Tripp, Aili Mari (2012). [*Women and Politics in Uganda*](https://books.google.com/books?id=C4f--wYMhhkC&pg=PR36). University of Wisconsin Pres. ISBN 9780299164836. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

1. Harrison, Charles (14 February 1981). "More Uganda politicians arrested". *The Times (London)*

1. ["History of Parliament"](http://www.parliament.go.ug/new/index.php/about-parliament/history-of-parliament). *www.parliament.go.ug*. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

1. ["WOMEN AND POWER: CELEBRATING RHODA KALEMA"](http://fowode.blogspot.ug/2014/07/women-and-power-celebrating-rhoda-kalema.html). *fowode.blogspot.ug*. Retrieved 8 March 2018.[better source needed]

1. ["Cabinet Members"](http://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php/members-of-parliament/cabinet-members). *www.parliament.go.ug*. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

1. Tamale, Sylvia (1999), *When hens begin to crow : gender and parliamentary politics in Uganda*, Westview Press, ISBN 978-1-4294-8920-1

1. ["Judiciary, Pepperdine University Honor Female Achievers"](http://www.judiciary.go.ug/data/news/508/Judiciary,%20Pepperdine%20University%20Honor%20Female%20Achievers.html). *www.judiciary.go.ug*. Retrieved 4 April 2018.

1. Katungulu, Amon (3 August 2025). ["Trailblazing Politician Rhoda Kalema Dies at 96"](https://nilepost.co.ug/news/277389/breaking-trailblazing-ugandan-politician-rhoda-kalema-dies-at-96). NilePost. Retrieved 3 August 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rhoda Kalema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhoda_Kalema) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhoda_Kalema?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.