“This Woman Is a Traitor”: Miria Kalule Obote and the Pain of Presidential Politics in Post-Colonial Uganda

Nearly thirty years ago, Amina Mama introduced the term “femocracy” to describe elite power structures led by wives of high-ranking political figures, benefiting some women while harming others in the name of “women’s empowerment” or “feminism.” Scholars have used this framework to analyze African first ladies’ political roles (e.g., Abdullah 1995; Ibrahim 2004). This essay explores Miria Kalule Obote’s experiences as Uganda’s first lady during her husband’s presidency from 1966–1971 and again from 1980– 1985. Despite some level of prominence, she faced significant challenges due to her husband’s political career, contrasting with the “femocrats” described by Mama. Using oral interviews and archival material, I examine the historical complexities of her life and advocate for a more nuanced framework to study Africa’s first ladies.