Everyone has something to offer the continent; irrespective of their age, educational background and career. As true as this statement is, not everyone understands it.
Proscovia Alengot Oromait is one of the people who understand that they are born to make a difference. She is young, courageous, and determined; the second of 10 children born by the late Usuk County Member Of Parliament, Michael Oromait.
Alengot was born in Katakwi District on 1 January 1993. She completed her high school (S6) at St. Kalemba Senior Secondary School in Kayunga District in December 2011. And was admitted to Uganda Christian University in Mukono, beginning August 2012, where she currently studies for the degree of Bachelor of Mass communications.
After her father’s death on 21 July 2012, Alengot who was only 19 at the time decided to contest the National Resistance Movement primary elections to replace her father, who had served only one year of the five-year term. She won the primary and then the general elections in September 2012. She beat out eight other candidates vying for the seat, earning more than double the votes of the nearest runner-up.
The determined teenager exuded great valor which made it easy for people to believe in her leadership ability. One of her teachers confirmed this when he revealed thus:
“She called me and informed me that she was still mobilizing youth for her father. When I heard that she was contesting, I didn’t doubt that she would convince voters.”
And as envisaged, she did.
This reminds me of what a writer once said,
“Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself before you can move tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe.”
Alengot believed greatly in her own abilities. As a teenager, fresh from secondary school, she knew exactly what she wanted and went for it ignoring every juvenile proclivity.
Today, that singular decision directs the trajectory of the young girl’s life. She has made history as the youngest Member of Parliament in Uganda and the African continent, and also the second youngest in the world following Anton Abele, an activist who was elected to Swedish Parliament at age 18.
Alengot has always displayed enviable leadership traits even from her days in secondary school. Once, she chaired a music competition, where she composed a song and taught other students which brought victory for her team.
She also introduced a new practice of reading news on the school assembly ground every Monday; an innovation that took the school by surprise and won her great fame.
During her school holidays, she worked at Apex FM (Jinja) and Joshua FM (Katakwi) before joining Diamond Trust bank.
Alengot belongs to the National Resistance Movement, the ruling political party in Uganda. She deals with such issues as the environment, education, health policy and gender. She has also been named among the 20 most powerful women in Africa by Forbes Magazine.
The power woman has continued to break boundaries, even though many people feel that the election of a legislator just out of high school is inappropriate. She currently juggles her undergraduate studies with her parliamentary duties.
The leading lady’s journey to fame and power has remained a wonder to many, but to her family and friends; it seemed like a normal progression. A friend of hers at St Kalemba had this to say;
“She had a great vision in life. She would say she would be a great lady no matter how many times she failed.”
That’s the winning attitude right?
Proscovia Alengot Oromait is on a mission to change the world; she has just taken off from Uganda. She is young, but she has all it takes, and so do you.
Best wishes from Konnect Africa as you pursue your dream.
