Jane Frances Kuka

Jane Frances Kuka
Honourable
Woman Member of Parliament, Kapchorwa
Succeeded byGertrude Kulany
Woman Member of Parliament, Kapchorwa
Minister of State for Gender and Community Development
Preceded byBaguma Isoke
Resident District Commissioner, Kapchorwa (2007)
Preceded byTezira Jamwa
Succeeded byJoseph Arwata
Personal details
Born
Jane Frances Yasiwa
NationalityUgandan
Political partyNational Resistance Movement(NRM)
SpouseStephen Kuka
EducationGamatui Primary School
Nyondo Teachers College, Mbale
Ggaba Teachers College
OccupationPolitician
anti-fgm activist

Jane Frances Kuka is a Ugandan educator, anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) activist, politician and former Member of Parliament for Kapchorwa in Uganda's sixth parliament (1996–2001) and was replaced by Gertrude Kulany. She was the Minister of State for Gender and Development from 1996 to 1998, a State Minister for Disaster Preparedness in 1999 and later appointed Resident District Commissioner for Kapchorwa District in 2007 replacing Tezira Jamwa.

Background and education

Kuka was born Jane Frances Yasiwa in Sipi, Kapchorwa to Miriam Chelangat in the 1950s.[1] She attended Gamutui Primary School then later in 1966 enrolled at Nyondo Teachers College in Mbale. She qualified as a teacher in 1969.[1] She followed this up at Ggaba Teachers College and became a grade three teacher.[1]

Career

Teaching

Kuka was a music teacher at Gamutui Primary School in 1969.[1] In 1988, she was promoted to Principal of Kapchorwa Teachers’ College.[1]

Politics

Kuka unsuccessfully tried to run for Parliament in the 1989 elections as well as the Constituent Assembly elections in 1994. She was later elected as Woman Member of Parliament and represented Kapchorwa in Uganda's sixth parliament.[2]

In addition to being a Member of Parliament, she served as the State Minister for Gender and Community Development (1996 -1998).[3] In 1999, she was transferred and appointed as the State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.[4][1]

In 2007, she was appointed Resident District Commissioner for Kapchorwa district and reappointed to the same position in 2014.[5][1] In between she worked as the President's deputy principal private secretary.[6]

Anti-FGM activism

As the principal of Kapchorwa Teachers College in 1988, Kuka survived lynching as she was opposed to the resolution of the Kapchorwa District Council that made Female genital mutilation (FGM) mandatory.[1][7][8][9] Kuka herself refers to it as "Female Genital Cutting" as she says that the term "Female Genital Mutilation sounds too harsh and fosters too much defensiveness".[10]

She has been dubbed "Heroine of the Female Genital Mutilation fight" and has spoken on the topic on a number of international platforms.[11]

Personal life

In 1972, she married Steven Kuka.[1]

Awards and recognition

In 2012, Kuka received a civilian award – The Distinguished Order of the Nile – Class 4 in recognition of her activism against Female Genital Mutilation.[12][13]

In recognition of her fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Kuka was awarded the Tumaini Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Kuka survived female circumcision and dedicates her life to protecting all Sabiny women". Monitor. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  2. ^ "CMIS Repository | Parliament of Uganda". Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Uganda: Kuka Advises Women on Polls". Allafrica.com. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  4. ^ "[Ugnet] Uganda Women in Leadership". Mail-archive.com. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  5. ^ "RDCs Reshuffled". 93.3 KFM. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  6. ^ "News briefs". New Vision. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  7. ^ SSEKANDI, JAMES. "Politicians urged on FGM". The Observer – Uganda. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. ^ independent, The (18 November 2009). "Soon you may go to prison for modifying women's body parts". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  9. ^ Kibet, Daniel (19 December 2020). "Beatrice Chelangat Determined to Stamp Out FGM". KIDA POST. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  10. ^ Gender justice, development, and rights. Maxine Molyneux, Shahra Razavi, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, Oxford University Press. New York: Oxford University Press. 2002. ISBN 0-19-925645-4. OCLC 63294734.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ^ a b "Frances Kuka wins Lifetime Achiever at Tumaini awards". New Vision. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  12. ^ "President Kagame and Nguema receive prestigious awards | State House Uganda". Statehouse.go.ug. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  13. ^ "The National Honours and Awards (Award of National Honours) Notice, 2018" (PDF). Gazettes.africa. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.