Freetown, Sierra Leone – Hon. Winnie Kiiza, former Leader of the Opposition in Uganda’s 10th Parliament and long-time advocate for inclusive governance, has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Nalafem Award for Advancing Intergenerational Co-Leadership at the Nalafem Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The award recognises Kiiza’s enduring legacy of value-driven, inclusive leadership and her commitment to mentoring young leaders across the continent.
In a heartfelt tweet, she expressed gratitude for the honour: “What an honour! What a speech! I’ve just received the 2025 Nalafem Award for Advancing Intergenerational Co-leadership here in Freetown, Sierra Leone.”
Hon. Kiiza, who served as MP for Kasese District from 2006 to 2021 and is currently a Global Advisor at the Better Politics Foundation (formerly the Apolitical Foundation), addressed women leaders from across Africa during the summit. Her message focused on unity, mentorship, and building institutions that reflect the values of shared leadership across generations.
The Nalafem Summit is one of Africa’s fastest-growing platforms dedicated to elevating women in politics, activism, and governance. This year’s gathering saw participation from high-profile leaders, including H.E. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first elected female president and founder of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Centre for Women and Development.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem reaffirmed the global commitment to gender equality, reproductive rights, peacebuilding, and empowering women and girls in crisis settings.
The Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), under whose ticket Kiiza served during her final years in politics, celebrated the award in a statement on X (formerly Twitter): “Congratulations to our own Hon. @WinnieKiiza on receiving the 2025 Nalafem Award… Your legacy of inclusive, value-driven leadership continues to inspire across generations.”
The Nalafem Collective, organiser of the summit, is a Pan-African movement of women politicians and activists working to liberate African women and girls through transformational leadership and solidarity.