Who is Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku: Flash Uganda Media looks at her biography, husband, work and experience, political career, relationship with Bobi Wine, party spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi and Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, early Life and Education of the current Deputy of the National Unity Platform (North).
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku is a Ugandan legal officer, politician, People Power and National Unity Platform Deputy (NUP) and an activist.
She is the Secretary Uganda National Committee for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide and Mass Atrocity Crimes and all Forms of Discrimination (UNCP-GMA) and Director Women Peace and Security Regional Associates for Community Initiatives (RACI).
Dr Zedriga has a wide range of experience as a Judicial Officer, Women Peace and Security Advocate, Social-Justice and Social Inclusion Activist, Policy Analyst, Researcher and Educator specializing in Women Peace and Security, policy and issues affecting vulnerable groups especially in conflict and post-conflict situations.
She is a specialist in prevention of violence against women, participation in peacebuilding, promotion and protection women’s rights, with a girl child, female youth, women and local/grassroots communities as stakeholders and equal partners and not “victims”.
Dr Zedriga is so passionate about grassroots woman, peace and security. She believes women are the borders, stakeholders but not victims.
Early Life and Education
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku was born on September 8th 1961. Zedriga attended the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation Poland, where she attained a Certificate in Genocide Prevention attained in November 2014.
UNDP Certificate in Training of Participatory Gender Audit Facilitators in November 14th -18th, 2011.
Care Academy, Certificate in Gender, Equity and Diversity Training, 2008.
Dr Zedriga holds a Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies, 2005-2007.
- UNDP, Advanced Certificate in Security and Safety in the Field Ordinary Certificate in Security and Safety in the Field, 2007
- AKINA MAMA wa Africa, Certificate in Gender and Development, 2006.
- Master of Arts in Human Rights, 2003-2005. World Bank Institute/ILI, Certificate in Judicial Reforms in Anglophone Africa, 2004.
- NAWJ/Judicial Training Institute, Certificate in Jurisprudence of Equality Training in International Human Rights Law, 2003
- Bachelor of Laws LL.B, 1998-2002.
- Austria Study Center for Peace and Conflict Transformation/Center for Conflict Management (CECORE), Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Transformation, 2002.
- CEJUCO, Certificate in Training of Trainers for Civic and Voter Education, 2000. Certificate of Laws, 1998 from Makerere University
- IYECA/YMCA, Certificate in Project Planning and Management, 1998.
In January 2009, Dr Zedriga acquired a Certificate in Women and Public Policy from JF Kennedy Harvard University Boston USA.
Law Development Center (LDC), Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Bar Course) 2003, Diploma in Law and Judicial Practice 1997, Diploma in Law, 1995.
Uganda Catholic Social Training Center, Rubaga, Certificate in Social Planning and Management, 1987.
The Institute for Inclusive Security for Inclusive Security (Hunt Alternative Virginia US).
Work and Experience
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku is the Secretary of Uganda’s National Committee for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and All Forms of Discrimination.
Zedriga is a former Magistrate who’s now into full activism working to end social exclusion and all forms of discrimination against vulnerable groups, particularly women.
She is also a practising attorney, educator of trainers on alternative and transformative leadership, and mentor.
Zedriga is the Director of Women in Peace Building and Reconciliation. She is actively involved with the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE). The Association of Women Lawyers Uganda (FIDA-U), Trust for Africa’s Orphans (TAO-U), and Kampala Quality Primary Schools (KQPS), among other organizations.
She’s a lecturer at Victoria University in Uganda and the Executive Director of Zedriga Foundation in Northern Uganda.
Also, Zedriga is the Director of Women Peace and Security Regional Association for Community Initiatives (RACI).
She held a position at the Centre for Peace and Security Governance in Juba, South Sudan.
Dr Zedriga’s Political Career
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku was unveiled as People Power Movement second in command at the group’s head office in Kamwokya, Kampala on Wednesday, April 08 2020.
“Ours is not going to be the politics of praise and favour; it will be politics of a service, inclusiveness and humanity,” Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku said after being unveiled as People Power deputy principal by Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine.
Dr Zedriga revealed that it took her more than five months to decide on taking up the People Power Deputy Principal position that was proposed to her when People Power leaders led by Bobi Wine first met her at her home in Gayaza.
“I had decided to go back to my village and retire quietly with my grandchildren. Making this decision did not come easy. I wanted to go be a catechist, but I only learned that the principal was researching about me before he approached me,” she says.
However, in the very start, People Power was looking for a coordinator for Northern Uganda but along the way, she became the Deputy Principal.
People Power now a political party named National Unity Platform (NUP) is headed by the Kyadondo East legislator, Hon Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine where Dr Zedriga is his deputy.
In Bobi Wine’s view, Dr Zedriga has been tested and tried, on all fronts and qualifies for any position that would cause impact to their political group that is eyeing the presidential seat in 2021.
The time Dr Zedriga’s husband Darius Zedriga disappeared; she didn’t have hopes of ever joining politics. She always discouraged Darius about politics.
“But he really wanted to achieve his dream, so I left him. However, after his disappearance, my mind about politics started changing. I started getting engaged and I have since engaged in elective politics,” she says.
In 2016, Dr Zedriga contested against Gabriel Ajedra Aridru for the Vurra County MP seat but lost to him.
Despite her belief that she was rigged, Zedriga says the Democratic Party DP did not trust her much, the reason she joined People Power Movement/NUP Party.
In Zedriga’s political career, she has mentored many prominent politicians in the northern region of Uganda where she originates, particularly women legislators.
Even when she contested for Woman Representative in Parliament for her constituency, her greatest support came from the women.
Among the politicians Zedriga has mentored include Ms Evelyn Anite, the State Minister of Finance, Investment and Privatization, Ms Betty Amongi, the Minister for Kampala Affairs, and Ms Betty Aol Ochan, leader of the Opposition in Parliament LoP, among others.
As NUP’s second in command, Dr Zedriga will be in charge of with grassroots mobilization, especially among the women right from the grassroots. Nonetheless, Dr Zedriga says she will not only bring on board the women but also tap into the elite class that has always posed a challenge to the movement.
“I want to tap into the elite because they are quick to ask questions and yet when the time to vote comes, they are in a closet. We need them to be included because they keep judging by what they say, and not what they can do,” she says.
Family
Dr Lina Zedriga Waru Abuku is a wife to Darius Zedriga who disappeared mysteriously on his way to Gulu District in August 2001.
He was from Kampala where he was supposed to do a consultative meeting following the post-election court process in which members of the Reform Agenda, headed by Dr Kizza Besigye, believed that they have been rigged.
Darius had been pivoted in the mobilization for northern Uganda.
Dr Zedriga narrates that she received a call in 2004 from the former Arua Municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga (RIP), informing her that her husband was sighted in the DR. Congo capital, Kinshasha, where he was shot dead before being buried in the same city.
