Jessica Eriyo

Jessica Eriyo
MP
State Minister for the Environment of Uganda
In office
April 2006 – 27 May 2011
Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community
In office
30 April 2012 – ?
Member of the Parliament of Uganda
In office
2001–2011
District Population Officer in Adjumani District
In office
1999–2001
Personal details
Born(1969-08-26)26 August 1969
Adjumani District, Uganda
Died12 August 2022(2022-08-12) (aged 52)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Political partyNational Resistance Movement
Alma materMakerere University (BA, MA)

Jessica Eriyo[a] (26 August 1969 – 12 August 2022) was a Ugandan educator, social worker, politician and diplomat. She served as the Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community, (EAC), responsible for Productive & Social Sectors. She was appointed to that position on 30 April 2012.

Background and education

Eriyo was born in Adjumani District on 26 August 1969. She held a degree of Bachelor of Arts in social science and a diploma in education. She also held two certificates; a certificate in project planning and management and a certificate in computer science. She was awarded a Master of Arts degree in development studies by Makerere University.[1][2]

Early career

In 1994, Eriyo worked as a high school teacher at Kololo Senior Secondary School in Kololo, an affluent suburb of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country.[3] Between 1998 and 1999, she was a teacher at Our Lady Consolata Senior Secondary School. She served as the District Population Officer in Adjumani District, from 1999 until 2001.

Political career

She entered politics in 2001, contesting the parliamentary seat of Adjumani District Women's Representative. She won and was again re-elected in 2006 on the National Resistance Movement political party ticket, and served in the parliament until 2011. In the 2011 national elections, she lost her seat to Jesca Ababiku, an independent candidate.[4]

2011 Election
2011 Ugandan general election: District Women Representative Adjumani District[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Jesca Ababiku 17,037 51.38
National Resistance Movement Jesca Osuna Eriyo 14,231 42.92
Forum for Democratic Change Hellen Achan 1,145 3.45
Independent Mamawi Josephine Ujjeo 732 2.21

Eriyo served as the State Minister for the Environment in the Ugandan Cabinet, from 2006 until 2011. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 May 2011,[6] she was dropped and replaced by Flavia Munaaba.[6]

In April 2012, Eriyo was appointed Deputy Secretary General for Productive and Social Sectors at the East African Community.[1][3] She replaced Beatrice Kiraso, another Ugandan, who served in that position between April 2006 and April 2012.[1]

Personal life

Eriyo died at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, United States, where she was undergoing treatment for cancer on 12 August 2022, at the age of 52.[7]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes spelled Jesca Eriyo

References

  1. ^ a b c "Jessica Eriyo Appointed Deputy Secretary General (Productive & Social Sectors) of the East African Community". East African Community. 28 April 2012. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  2. ^ Kalema, Andrew Ndawula (30 June 2006). "Uganda: Our Politicians: Jessica Eriyo". AllAfrica.com. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Nominees Await MPs' Approval Before Taking On New Offices". New Vision. Kampala. 24 May 2006. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  4. ^ Okudi, Martin; Warom, Felix (7 March 2011). "Court Throws Out Vote Recount Petitions By Eriyo, Eruaga". Daily Monitor. Kampala). Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  5. ^ "Repoort on the 2010/2011 General Elections" (PDF). The Electoral Commission of Uganda. July 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Comprehensive List of New Cabinet Appointments & Dropped Ministers". Uganda State House. 27 May 2011. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2016 – via Facebook.
  7. ^ "Former environment minister Jesca Eriyo is dead". Daily Monitor. 13 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.