Barely two years after she made the promise to be honorary ambassadors of Uganda, Lifaka, who was also the deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon, passed away after a short illness in her country on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
She may be largely unknown in Uganda and outside parliamentary circles but she rose to the top of the Commonwealth parliamentary system where she served as chair of the Executive Committee from 2017, having served in other positions in both the CPA and the National Assembly of Cameroon.
Following her passing, tributes started flowing in to the CPA Secretariat, London and the Cameroon National Assembly.
DEEPLY SADDENED
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the sudden death of [Lifaka]. As CPA Chairperson, she warmly welcomed me as CPA Secretary General last year and she worked very closely with the staff at the CPA Headquarters who will all mourn her passing,” said Stephen Twigg, the CPA secretary general, penned.
The CPA Secretariat said the legislator, who was elected chair at the 63rd CPC held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in November 2017 “was passionate about the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and tirelessly promoted its work across the Commonwealth for many years.”
Announcing her death at the start of a plenary sitting of the House on April 21, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said Lifaka was the first African in more than 100 years to hold the position of head of the Executive Committee of the CPA, which tenure was due to expire at the next General Assembly of the CPA.
“We send condolences to the National Assembly of Cameroon, the CPA fraternity worldwide and the people of Africa on the loss of this industrious lady who still had a lot to offer,” Kadaga said before the House rose for a moment of silence.
Because of her position as chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, the legislator, together with colleagues with similar responsibilities, was in Uganda ahead of other delegates flying in for the 64th CPC in Kampala. The conference was held from September 22 to 29, 2019.
She was in Munyonyo, touring, assessing and inspecting the major venue of the conference due to start in a few days. Together with colleagues from Parliament of Uganda, selected to rapporteur during conference workshops, on September 21 she got us being addressed by Jeffrey Hyland, the editor of The Parliamentarian, a journal of the parliaments of the Commonwealth.
She briefly talked to us before continuing with her tours of the venue. She commended Parliament of Uganda for the preparations and said that evidence shows that “the conference will be a success”.
At the opening of the conference, she was only one of the persons to speak, as Commonwealth requirements dictate that the ceremony must last only two hours.
In her speech, she said that delegates had been well taken care of and that the logistical arrangements put in place “to give the event the grandeur it deserves has been exceptional.”
“Mr President, your country is beautiful, your people are very hospitable,” she said as she addressed the president, also the vice patron of CPA.
Because of Uganda’s membership and active involvement in CPA activities, together with its other organs like the Commonwealth Women Parliamentary Association, several MPs and staff of Parliament of Uganda had either interacted or worked closely with Lifaka and had high regard of her character and work ethic.
Jalia Bintu (MP, Masindi district), was the Chairperson of the Conference Management Sub-Committee, putting her in prime position and working with the CPA headquarters in London in preparation for the 64th CPC. During this period and for preceding years, as the Vice Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Africa Region and Uganda’s Branch representative at the CPA Africa Region, brought her close to Lifaka.
Bintu remembered Lifaka as a pan- Africanist, who always looked out for marginalized groups including the Small Branches, women, youth and persons with disabilities.
“At one conference, in her submission, she was at the centre of pushing a proposal to have all parliaments include women as part of their delegations. Now this is a must. Without these [women], a delegation will not be allowed to attend the conference,” said Bintu.
She was sad that Lifaka had not lived to see through the other proposal she was involved in, to turn the CPA from a charity organization to an international body.
Paul Wabwire, deputy clerk to Parliament, worked and attended various meetings in different countries with Hon. Monjowa. He remembered her as a “very strong and assertive lady” covered in floor-length beautiful kitenge attire.
“She was very assertive and knowledgeable in matters of the CPA. Together with Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, she was at the forefront of pushing to have the CPA move from a charitable organization registered in the UK to become an international organization with diplomatic status,” Wabwire said.
Ismail Ranny, an assistant director in the department of Communication and Parliamentary Affairs, worked under her guidance when Lifaka was a CWP regional representative for West Africa and when the CPA Africa region was drafting their rules, meeting in Cameroon and Tanzania between 2012 and 2016.
“She was good to work with; she was smart and would give her mind without being intimidated by other members,” Ranny said.
Lifaka also served as CPA vice chairperson (2016-2017); CPA Africa Regional representative (2015-2017); conference coordinator of the 60th CPC held in Cameroon in 2014.
She has been the coordinator of CPA International Activities for the National Assembly of Cameroon since 2007.