I am deeply honored and excited to assume this new and challenging role at such a critical time in the fight against AIDS. - Specioza Kazibwe

I’ve been accused of having an affair with the president, among other things. They claim I only have my job because I’m a woman. Men try to bully me the same way they bully their wives, but I won’t tolerate it. It's clear they can't imagine women serving any purpose beyond sex, but I make sure to remind them that we have brains too.

I suppose it was that day that convinced me I should enter politics and speak out against the violence that was so prevalent in our society.

People often believed my life was perfect—I had a husband, a successful career, financial stability, and my children were excelling in school and university. But behind that image, I was deeply unhappy in my marriage due to the abuse. I reached a point where I could no longer live the life others expected of me. I chose to break my silence and speak out about the reality of what I was going through.