“Eh eh eh My Lord, Looking Dapper”: Rebranding the Speakership and Women’s Political Leadership in Uganda?

Abstract

In the 2021 election for the Ugandan Speaker of Parliament, the incumbent Rebecca Kadaga lost to Jacob Oulanyah, who died shortly after due to an illness. Oulanyah’s deputy, Anita Among, took the position despite controversy over her readiness to do so. She has since carved out a path to her unique leadership style, and social media is awash with interest in her fashion. This chapter argues whether fashion is trivial for women politicians like Among or whether it can be used to their political advantage. Using content analysis of social media, I found that fashion drew attention to the Speaker Anita Among and in many ways, seemed to ensure her legitimacy as a contemporary leader. However, some thought the display of fashionable outfits was insensitive to the dire economic situation faced by the majority of Ugandans and did not reflect her competencies.