Article by: John Gitonga, East Africa ICLD alumni coordinator
Meet Mayor Hilda Maate, ICLD Alumni and one of the youngest elected Mayors in Uganda and Vice President for East Africa of the Young Elected Local Officials (YELO) Network.
Maate was elected as the Mayor of Hima Town Council during the 2021 general elections and she attributes her success to her courage, perseverance and unwavering commitment, which allowed her to navigate and defy societal norms posing obstacles in her path. Despite her young age, the public recognized her potential, particularly in her ability to effectively articulate development issues within her political agenda, which she emphasizes is what ultimately garnered their trust and led to her electoral victory.
During her teenage years, she developed a great desire to assist her community. Her ambition to become a leader eventually brought her to new platforms, fuelling her desires to champion peace, participate in politics, and advocate for human rights. Indeed, Hilda Maate Businge’s activities and associations offer a glimpse into her character and personality. Her commitment to promoting gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusive governance — principles she embraced during her participation in ICLD training – recently earned her the election as Vice President for East Africa in the Young Elected Local Officials (YELO) Network. With YELO, she plays an important role in enhancing youth involvement in local governance and decision-making processes.
Women in Political Leadership programme
Mayor Hilda Maate participated in the ICLD Women in Political Leadership training programme in 2022. She recognizes and appreciates that this program introduced her to and significantly enhanced her understanding of the fundamental core values of local democracy, including equity, transparency, participation, and accountability, as well as methods to bolster democracy within organizations. Additionally, the program provided a collaborative environment among women politicians. A community of empowering and inspiring women who shared invaluable insights were previously unfamiliar to her.
In her position, Hilda has taken part in global and international forums, including the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where she addressed issues of gender justice and equality in collaboration with other representatives from local governments. This involvement underscores her commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, particularly young women who aspire to leadership roles. Such efforts promoting what we learned in the Women in Political Leadership training, she says, are crucial in addressing the gender disparities in leadership and realizing Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda.
Mayor Hilda is convinced that the future holds more promise when women are included in every decision-making forum. She aspires to motivate emerging young leaders and foster supportive environments that enhance women’s leadership across local, national, and continental spheres.
”Achieving the position of Mayor under 30 is both an accomplishment and a significant milestone for me, she says. I deeply appreciate the responsibilities entrusted to me by my constituents, and I aim to serve them with the diligence and efficiency they rightfully deserve. I will also continue to advocate for social justice, gender equality, equal opportunities, and the enhancement of local democracy, and share my experiences within the ICLD Alumni network. ”
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