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{{distinguish|Grace Akallo}}
{{distinguish|Grace Akallo}}
'''Grace Akello''' (born 1950) is a [[Uganda]]n poet, essayist, folklorist and politician.<ref name=WWCWW>Marie Umeh, ''Who's Who in Contemporary Women's Writing'', Routledge, 2001, pp. 6–7.</ref>
'''Grace Akello''' (born 1950) is a [[Uganda]]n poet, essayist, folklorist and politician.<ref name=WWCWW>{{cite book|author1-last=Umeh|author1-first=Mari|editor1-last=Miller|editor1-first=Jane Eldridge|title=Who's Who in Contemporary Women's Writing|date=2001| publisher=Routledge|isbn=0415159806|edition=1st|pages=6-7|url=https://books.google.ca/books?id=Y-TMhtk5AUYC&l}}</ref>


==Early life and education==
⚫
==Life==
An [[Iteso]] born near [[Soroti]], in the Eastern Region of [[Uganda Protectorate|Uganda]], Akello studied Social Administration and Social Work at [[Makerere University]]. She worked as a magazine editor in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] before travelling to [[England]] in 1981 to be Assistant Editor at the [[Commonwealth Secretariat]].
An [[Iteso]] born near [[Soroti]], in the Eastern Region of [[Uganda Protectorate|Uganda]], Akello studied Social Administration and Social Work at [[Makerere University]]. In 1979, she lived in Tanzania after fleeing from [[Idi Amin]]'s government as a refugee.<ref name=pompey/>


==Career==
A mother of four sons, she and her second husband live in UK and Uganda.<ref name=WWCWW/> In 1996 she became a member of the [[Parliament of Uganda]], and in 1999 was appointed Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development.<ref>[http://conferences.ifpri.org/2020africaconference/advisory/bios.asp#akello 2020 Africa Conference.]</ref> She was the Minister of State for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation until losing her seat in 2006. She is currently the Uganda Ambassador to [[Italy]].<ref>[http://www.embassyofuganda.it/en/?page_id=28 "The Ambassador"], Embassy of Uganda in Rome.</ref>
She worked as a magazine editor in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] before traveling to [[England]] in the 1980s to become an Assistant Editor for the [[Commonwealth Secretariat]]. Akello held the position as assistant editor from 1983 to 1990.<ref name=pompey>{{cite news| title=Sacrificial love helped bring peace to Uganda|url=http://portsmouth.anglican.org/fileadmin/images/pompey_chimes/2007/2007-02p8-9.pdf|accessdate=19 November 2016|work=Pompey Chimes|date=February 2007|pages=8-9}}</ref>

==Politics==
In 1990, Akello went back to Uganda and created a commission to help solve the issue of the displacement and killing of [[Teso people]] during Idi Amin's presidency. This commission lasted until 1996.<ref name=pompey/> In 1996 she became a member of the [[Parliament of Uganda]], and in 1999 was appointed Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development.<ref>{{cite web|title=2020 Africa Conference - Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020|url=http://conferences.ifpri.org/2020africaconference/advisory/bios.asp#akello|website=conferences.ifpri.org|accessdate=19 November 2016}}</ref>

From 1999 to 2006, Akello was a member of the [[Cabinet of Uganda]]. She held the position of Minister of Microfinance Initiatives from 1999 to 2003, and the Minister of Northern Uganda from 2003 until losing her seat in 2006.<ref name=pompey/> In 2014, during her position as High Commissioner of Uganda to Malta, Akello said that she believed that the controversy surrounding [[Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014|Uganda's criminalization of homosexuality]] was "blown out of porportion".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cooke|first1=Patrick|title=‘Too much fuss’ over Uganda anti-gay laws| url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140307/local/-Too-much-fuss-over-Uganda-anti-gay-laws.509560|website=timesofmalta.com|accessdate=19 November 2016}}</ref> She is currently the Uganda Ambassador to [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Ambassador| url=http://www.embassyofuganda.it/en/?page_id=28| website=embassyofuganda.it|accessdate=19 November 2016}}</ref>

==Literature==
In 1992, her poem "Encounter" from her novel ''My Barren Song'' was included in [[Margaret Busby]]'s ''[[Daughters of Africa]]'', a selection of works from women authors in Africa.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Busby|editor1-first=Margaret|title=Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent from the Ancient Egyptian to the Present|date=1992|publisher=Jonathan Cape|isbn=9780224035927|pages=638-39| edition=1st}}</ref>


==Works==
==Works==
* ''Iteso Thought Patterns in Tales'', 1975
* ''Iteso Thought Patterns in Tales'', 1975
* ''My Barren Song''. Dar es Salam, Tanzania: Eastern African Publications, 1979<ref>Her poem "Encounter", from ''My Barren Song'', is included in [[Margaret Busby]] (ed.), ''[[Daughters of Africa]]'', London: Jonathan Cape, 1992, pp. 638–39.</ref>
* ''My Barren Song''. Dar es Salam, Tanzania: Eastern African Publications, 1979
* ''Self Twice-Removed: Ugandan Woman'', 1982
* ''Self Twice-Removed: Ugandan Woman'', 1982

⚫
==Personal Life==
Akello married her husband, Hugh Mason, in 1983. They have four sons together and live in Kenya.<ref name=WWCWW/>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


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[[Category:Ugandan women writers]]
[[Category:Ugandan women writers]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Uganda to Italy]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of Uganda to Italy]]


{{Uganda-writer-stub}}

Revision as of 23:42, 19 November 2016

Not to be confused with Grace Akallo.

Grace Akello (born 1950) is a Ugandan poet, essayist, folklorist and politician.[1]

Early life and education

An Iteso born near Soroti, in the Eastern Region of Uganda, Akello studied Social Administration and Social Work at Makerere University. In 1979, she lived in Tanzania after fleeing from Idi Amin's government as a refugee.[2]

Career

She worked as a magazine editor in Kenya and Tanzania before traveling to England in the 1980s to become an Assistant Editor for the Commonwealth Secretariat. Akello held the position as assistant editor from 1983 to 1990.[2]

Politics

In 1990, Akello went back to Uganda and created a commission to help solve the issue of the displacement and killing of Teso people during Idi Amin's presidency. This commission lasted until 1996.[2] In 1996 she became a member of the Parliament of Uganda, and in 1999 was appointed Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development.[3]

From 1999 to 2006, Akello was a member of the Cabinet of Uganda. She held the position of Minister of Microfinance Initiatives from 1999 to 2003, and the Minister of Northern Uganda from 2003 until losing her seat in 2006.[2] In 2014, during her position as High Commissioner of Uganda to Malta, Akello said that she believed that the controversy surrounding Uganda's criminalization of homosexuality was "blown out of porportion".[4] She is currently the Uganda Ambassador to Italy.[5]

Literature

In 1992, her poem "Encounter" from her novel My Barren Song was included in Margaret Busby's Daughters of Africa, a selection of works from women authors in Africa.[6]

Works

  • Iteso Thought Patterns in Tales, 1975
  • My Barren Song. Dar es Salam, Tanzania: Eastern African Publications, 1979
  • Self Twice-Removed: Ugandan Woman, 1982

Personal Life

Akello married her husband, Hugh Mason, in 1983. They have four sons together and live in Kenya.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Umeh, Mari (2001). Miller, Jane Eldridge (ed.). Who's Who in Contemporary Women's Writing (1st ed.). Routledge. pp. 6–7. ISBN 0415159806.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sacrificial love helped bring peace to Uganda" (PDF). Pompey Chimes. February 2007. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. ^ "2020 Africa Conference - Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020". conferences.ifpri.org. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  4. ^ Cooke, Patrick. "'Too much fuss' over Uganda anti-gay laws". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  5. ^ "The Ambassador". embassyofuganda.it. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  6. ^ Busby, Margaret, ed. (1992). Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent from the Ancient Egyptian to the Present (1st ed.). Jonathan Cape. pp. 638–39. ISBN 9780224035927.
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