Former Minister for Ethics and Integrity Miria Matembe has declared her intentions to contest in the upcoming 2021 general elections as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Elderly.
Mrs Matembe who is a strong critic of the current government headed by HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni accuses her former boss for deviating from what they were fighting for and what had attracted her to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The Iron Lady, says she wants to be the voice of “hope” for the elderly whom she says had lost hope for their future.
“For a long time, I have been thinking on how I can represent older people but God has opened a way. These people have been suffering and their property taken away from them, I will represent them because God has sent me,” Mrs Matembe said.
Last month, government created five seats for elderly members of Parliament and rolled out their election plan. This was passed by Parliament last week through the Parliament Election Amendment Bill 2020.
Mrs Matembe describes this as a “heaven sent” opportunity which she can not hesitate to take up. Much as most older persons intend to contest on the card of particular political parties, Ms Matembe says she will stand as an independent.
“You have been like Elisha of the Bible who got to know people’s dreams. You have it that I am going to stand and on an independent ticket. Some of these representatives are supposed to be on independent tickets. For instance the army, which ticket do they have? So that is how I am going to be,” she said.
Miria Matembe is known for her advocacy around human rights and as a strong advocate of women’s rights in Uganda. The motor mouthed former minister has represented and served before as a Woman Member of Uganda’s Parliament representing Mbarara District.
It should be remembered that in 1995, Matembe was a member of the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. She is also a former chairperson of Action for Development (ACFODE), a leading women’s advocacy organisation, she co-founded.
