New regional representative for Africa
Neema Lugangira MP, IPNEd’s new Regional Representative for Africa
Hon. Florence Mutua did not stand in the recent Kenyan election and so is no longer an MP.
The subsequent vacancy on the IPNEd global executive of regional representative* for Africa which Ms. Mutua held has been filled by the candidate who received the next highest number of votes in the executive elections, Hon. Neema Lugangira, a member of the parliament of Tanzania.
Thanks to Florence Mutua
Hon. Florence Mutua, IPNEd’s former regional representative for Africa, did not stand for election to the Kenyan parliament in the recent parliamentary elections so she is no longer an MP. Full membership of IPNEd and therefore membership of the Global Executive Committee is open to serving members of a recognised parliament so Ms. Mutua is no longer a member of the IPNEd global executive committee.
We thank Ms. Mutua for her service on the global executive committee, and are delighted to welcome her as an associate member of IPNEd. Associate membership is open to former members of parliament who affirm their ongoing interest in and commitment to education. Our founding associate member is Former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, Julia Gillard.
In the event of a casual vacancy arising during the term of our executive, IPNEd’s method for filling the vacancy is to appoint the candidate who came second the in the most recent election. In this instance, that was Hon. Neema Lugangira MP of the parliament of Tanzania.
Welcoming Hon. Neema Kichiki Lugangira MP
Ms. Lugangira is already an active member of IPNEd, who has represented the Network at a number of online and in person events, including the World Bank Global Young MP Initiative on Eliminating Learning Poverty and IPNEd’s High Level Panel at the European Development Days in Brussels. Most recently, Ms Lugangira joined IPNEd’s parliamentary delegation to the UN Transforming Education Summit in New York.
Neema Lugangira MP spoke at IPNEd’s High-Level Panel at the European Development Days.
“I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Lugangira in New York where I saw first hand both her commitment to education and how effective she was in making the case for it. I know she’s going to be a valuable member of the executive and play a central role in growing political leadership for education across Africa,” said Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan and IPNEd Co-Chair, Mehnaz Akber Aziz.
“Education is the key that unlocks progress and prosperity which is why I am so committed to ensuring every child benefits from it. But given the challenges we face we need to build and sustain political commitment to education in Africa and around the world. I’m excited to represent Africa on the global executive and look forward to working with my parliamentary colleagues from across the continent to advance educational progress leading to the achievement of SDG 4,” said Ms. Lugangira MP.
Ms. Lugangira is the Member of Parliament representing NGOs in the Parliament of Tanzania. She is also the founder of the Agri Thamani Foundation, which seeks to end malnutrition through education, championing school meals, promotion of traditional foods (farm to fork), nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions and nutrition advocacy across multi-sectors and multi-stakeholders.
She has significant experience in leading national and international development projects, including overseeing the administration of agricultural and social-economic programmes and initiatives across Tanzania.
In Parliament, her Parliamentary Committee roles include Membership of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Services and Community Development and Cross-Cutting Parliamentary Committee on HIV, TB, Drug Abuse and Non-Communicable Diseases.
She is also an Education Champion with Haki Elimu, the National Education Coalition in Tanzania, a National Food Systems Champion for the Ministry of Agriculture, and a National Non-Communicable Diseases Champion for the Ministry of Health.
We look forward to continuing to work closely with Hon. Neema Lugangira MP in her new role as Regional Representative for Africa.
* IPNEd’s regional representatives form part of our Global Executive Committee, and act as a focal point for IPNEd in their region, linking countries and parliamentarians together as well as representing their region in discussions and decisions at the global level.
