Hon. Sheilah Amaniyo Draville, the Woman Member of Parliament-elect for Mukono District under the National Unity Platform (NUP), has graduated with a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy and Planning, marking what she described as “a statement that leadership must be enlightened, competent and accountable.”
The graduation, held today, represents more than an academic milestone for the youthful opposition legislator. It signals her intention to deepen policy-driven oversight in Parliament at a time when Uganda faces mounting public debt, youth unemployment and widening inequality. With an undergraduate degree in Development Economics and a Certificate in Oil and Gas, Draville says she is prepared to confront economic injustice with both passion and technical expertise.
Addressing party leaders, religious figures, district officials and members of the media, Draville framed her achievement as a collective victory. “This is not merely a personal academic milestone. It is a statement that representation must be competent and that courage must be accompanied by capacity,” she said.
Draville, who ran under the NUP banner in a tense and heavily contested election, recounted the difficult campaign period marked by violence and intimidation. She said as a woman in opposition politics, the path was “uneven and unforgiving,” often narrowing further because of entrenched gender barriers.
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She paid special tribute to her all-female campaign team Nina, Sharon, Mrs. Noel Kyasa and Barbra whom she described as “sisters in courage.” The team endured long nights, dusty murram roads, and at times confrontation with security agencies. “You carried more than banners; you carried belief. You defended more than votes; you defended vision,” she said, drawing applause from supporters.
Draville also expressed gratitude to NUP leadership, particularly party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, for entrusting her with the party flag in Mukono District. She said the party’s slogan, “People Power, Our Power,” sustained her through moments of fear and uncertainty. “Authority ultimately belongs to the people,” she noted.
Balancing academic work with an intense political campaign was, by her own admission, demanding. She narrated how she would study fiscal decentralisation in the morning and later confront the realities of campaign trail tensions. “Our activism must be policy-driven. Our passion must be backed by preparation,” she said, adding that her Master’s training equips her to scrutinise national budgets, question borrowing and advocate for transparent oil and gas revenue management.
In Parliament, Draville has pledged to resist what she called the tendency for the House to act as a rubber stamp. She intends to rigorously analyse public expenditure, challenge unsustainable fiscal practices and push for equitable resource allocation, particularly for Mukono District. She also emphasised gender-responsive and pro-poor economic policies as central to her legislative agenda.
She recognised fellow Mukono leaders and praised the resilience of opposition legislators, singling out Betty Nambooze Bakireke for her mentorship and unity among NUP representatives in the district. Draville said teamwork among Mukono MPs was instrumental in securing electoral victory and strengthening collective advocacy.
A mother and community mobiliser, Draville credited her parents, Mr and Mrs Ben Draville, siblings and her 12-year-old daughter Reeva for their unwavering support. She also acknowledged collaboration with civil society organisations, including the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), in advancing women’s political participation and governance accountability.
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Her policy priorities include women’s economic empowerment, protection of the girl child, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and strengthening local economic systems in Mukono. “Economic policy must serve the people — not protect privilege,” she declared.
As celebrations concluded, Draville struck a hopeful tone. “May we build a Uganda where women do not have to fight twice as hard to stand once; where education strengthens leadership rather than intimidates it; and where People Power is reflected not only in rallies, but in budgets and legislation,” she said.
With academic credentials fortified and political resolve sharpened, Hon. Sheilah Amaniyo Draville enters the next phase of leadership vowing to advocate, interrogate and legislate for what she calls “a fairer and more accountable Uganda.”
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