SOPHIA Mwakagenda, a Tanzanian politician and Member of Parliament (MP) from the opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), has made a lasting impact on her community, especially in advocating for the rights of women, youth, and children.

At 54, she continues to inspire Tanzanian women to pursue leadership roles, empower young people, and remain close to the communities she represents.

Mwakagenda was elected as a special-seat MP in 2015 and has since become a prominent gender activist, recognized globally for her contributions. With over 20 years as an analyst and advocate, she has received several prestigious awards for promoting women's and children's rights. 

Her activism has enabled more than 500 women and girls to learn tailoring skills and receive sewing machines. She has also intervened in cases where young girls were at risk of early marriage, such as preventing the marriage of two girls whose parents sought bride prices of 75 cows.

Her gender activism, social involvement and political related issues is something deeply rooted in her, a natural passion to advocate for the rights of women and girls in every corner of the country.

Once elected as a Special Seats MP, she returned to her home village in Mbeya to stay connected to her community’s needs. Her commitment is evident in her presence during both sorrowful and joyful events, whether standing by families during funerals or joining in celebrations. 

Despite her dedication, not everyone understood her choices. Some colleagues would laugh at her, questioning why she chose to remain in the village despite her prominent leadership position.

"At times, my fellow MPs would mock me, saying I would die poor if I continued to stay in the village, focusing much on the community. But that has never been a setback for me," says Mwakagenda, adding that having a supportive husband has made her who she is today. 

Mwakangeda, who believes that women and girls can do anything that men can do, added that gender activism have also enabled her to record a number of greater success in life.

The things people say

In efforts to recognize her efforts, The Guardian spoke to a cross section of people in various localities including Mbeya, Geita, Lindi and Chalinze District in Coast Region on how she has touched people's lives.

Mbapai Mbokoso, a resident of Chalinze narrates that through the MP, her daughter was not married off at an early age.

“Most Maasai families would prefer their daughters to get married early so that they can get a number of cattle as a pride price. But, through Mwakagenda, my daughter—Happy Mbosoko has been able to complete her secondary school education,” said Mbokoso.

She recalls that it was on a Sunday in 2016, when his daughter came home from church with the MP’s mobile phone number, asking me to call Mwakagenda. After some time, Mwakagenda visited our home, introduced herself and asked if she could provide educational support to Happy so she completes her education journey. 

“As I speak, Happy has completed her secondary school education; she later joined a tailoring school and graduated from teaching course. She is now married to a man of her choice,” narrates Mbokoso, saying the MP has become a family member.

As parents, we still feel that we owe her a great debt because without her support, our daughter would have not completed her studies, she adds.

Acting Headmistress at Tukuyu Secondary School, Amina Makamba applauded the MP’s for the sanitary pads support offered to girls.

“When girls are on menstruation, they miss lessons because most of them cannot afford to buy sanitary pads. We are grateful that Mwakagenda has continued to support our girls and they no longer miss lessons during periods,” said the headmistress.

Makamba further thanked the MP for continued capacity building training offered to girls to ensure they are equipped with life skills.

A Form Four student at Tukuyu Secondary School, Tulinagwe Mwakalinga said the biggest challenge they faced was money to purchase sanitary pads and this made most of the girls to abscond lessons.

Magdalena Mwasandale, a member of Rungwe Organic Tea Cooperative Society says that in her role as an MP, Mwakagenda has also fought for farmers’ rights in Rungwe District, ensuring tea prices increased and payments were timely.

 Additionally, she has promoted sustainable energy practices, distributing gas stoves to reduce the reliance on firewood, sparing women and girls from the arduous task of collecting wood.

Geita Regional Commissioner, Martin Shigela said that Mwakagenda’s advocacy extends to healthcare as well. In Geita District, she collaborated with local miners to donate essential supplies to new mothers, fostering community support and solidarity for women during childbirth. Geita’s regional leaders praised her efforts to uplift female miners and support healthcare facilities.

Shigela expressed gratitude to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for providing funds to purchase various supplies for expectant mothers.

NBS Director of Population and Social Statistics, Ruth Minja said they partnered with the Geita regional leadership and through the MP they were able to donate a number of assorted items to the regional hospital.

Geita’s hospital, Acting Chief Physician, Dr Thomas Mafuru expressed sincere gratitude to the female small-scale miners in the region, led by MP Mwakagenda, for offering support to patients. He urged women's groups to visit the hospital as a way of comforting patients.

A patient at Geita hospital Ashura Jumanne, thanked the MP for remembering them and offering support.

Speaking on whether she will contest for any position in the coming General Election next year, Mwakagenda said: “I will continue serving the community and encourage women to run for various leadership positions. Although our culture prefer women to stay at home and look after children; we are motivating them to also get involved in politics.”

Mwakagenda, who has actively participated in parliamentary sessions focusing on key issues such as rural development, education and women's rights, stated that she is still an MP for CHADEMA. 

Her political leadership within CHADEMA will conclude in June 2025, a point where she will decide whether to run for re-election under her current party. However, in politics, anything can happen, says Mwakagenda.

According to her, when women are in leadership positions, they enhance the performance of families, businesses, and communities, contributing to a more peaceful and secure nation. For instance, Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, has entrusted women with significant leadership roles, and as a result, the country has experienced continued progress and stability."

Her story is not only about personal accomplishments but also serves as a testament to the systemic challenges she has overcome, providing a blueprint for future female leaders. 

Sophia Mwakagenda, along with 18 other members of parliament, was part of a group of Special Seat MPs expelled from their political party, Chadema, in 2020, for allegedly forging party documents and taking an illegitimate oath without being elected.

These MPs were sworn into parliament without the party's official approval, leading to their expulsion. This event caused significant controversy within the country’s political scene. Due to their involvement in this dispute and their return to parliament despite being expelled, the 19 MPs were mockingly referred to as "COVID-19" by some people, drawing a symbolic comparison to the pandemic's disruptive nature.

This mocking nickname emphasized their unexpected reappearance in parliament and the chaotic circumstances surrounding their political situation. The expelled MPs, including Mwakagenda, continued to fight for their positions, leading to further legal battles between them and CHADEMA.

Awards won so far

She has received several honours for her work in advancing women's and children's rights. Some of her notable awards include Women of the Decade in Public Life, she received this global honorary award during the Women Economic Forum (WEF) in New Delhi in 2018 for her contributions to education, health, and economic empowerment for women and children in the country. 

She was among 2,000 women who participated in the meeting from different parts of the world, including women leaders and people that have brought positive change to the society.

She was also honored by the Coady International Institute/CIDA in Canada in 2012-2013 Women Economic Forum. These awards highlight her active role in supporting gender equality and social justice in Tanzania.

The MP is also championing environmental conservation activities as well as protection of water sources. Mwakagenda has brought together Ward Councilors, ward executives, and some citizens with the aim of educating them on environmental conservation, along with fostering solidarity towards sustainable development in Rungwe District.

This initiative was fulfilled by distributing gas stoves to 15 ward executives and citizens as a crucial step in combating environmental degradation caused by the use of firewood and charcoal.

According to her, for a long time, President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has been advocating against the indiscriminate cutting down of trees, urging Tanzanians to use alternative energy sources, including natural gas, which is available in different volumes.

At the same time, Mwakagenda has given several gifts to students and teachers who performed well in the national exams as a motivation to continue excelling in their studies.