Rhoda Kalema

Rhoda Nakibuuka Nsibirwa Kalema (10 May 1929 – 3 August 2025) was a Ugandan politician known as the country's Mother of Parliament.

Early life and education Rhoda Kalema was born on 10 May 1929, one of 24 children of Martin Luther Nsibirwa, who was twice appointed Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of Buganda in Uganda. She was born on 10 May 1929 in the Butikkiro, Protectorate of Uganda, the official residence of the Katikkiro, in the Mengo neighbourhood of Kampala. In 1955 she commenced a one-year course in Social Work and Social Administration at Newbattle Abbey, an Adult Education College in the United Kingdom,

Political career In 1961, Grace Ibingira and Adoko Nyekon initiated Rhoda Kalema into the Uganda People's Congress. She was a junior minister of Culture and Community Development in Binaisa's administration.

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 ) and on 4 February 1983. as the Kiboga representative, and defeated 8 male opponents after scooping two thirds of the entire vote. She later retired from politics after grooming a number of notable politicians such as Ruth Nankabirwa, the Chief Whip in Uganda's Cabinet.

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

Death Kalema died on 3 August 2025, at the age of 96.