Lydia Chekwel (born 16 August 1964) is a Ugandan politician and teacher representing Kween District as the district woman member of Parliament in the 9th and 10th Parliament of Uganda. [1] [2] [3] She stood as an independent politician in the 10th Parliament of Uganda. [1] However, in the 9th Parliament, she was affiliated to the National Resistance Movement political party. [1]
In 1976, she completed her Primary Leaving Examinations from Moyok Primary School. [1] In 1981, she attained a Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education from St Elizabeth Senior Secondary School, Kidetok. [1] In 1988, she was awarded a Primary Teachers' Certificate from Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo and later returned to Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo for a Diploma in Teacher Education in 2000. [1] In 2008, she was awarded a bachelor's degree in education from Kyambogo University. [1]
From 1988 to 2000, she was employed as a teacher at Chemwania Primary School and later joined Kapchorwa Primary Teachers College as a tutor from 2000 to 2011. [1]
From 2011 to date, she was the Member of Parliament at the Parliament of Uganda. [1] She served on the professional body as a member of Red Cross and a full member of Teachers Association. [1] She also served on additional roles at the Parliament of Uganda on the Committee on Human Rights and Committee on Education and Sports. [1] She is a Member of UWOPA of 10th Parliament. [4]
Lydia Chekwel, the incumbent Woman MP, since 2011 is battling her niece, Rose Emma Cherukut, who is popularly known as Pakalast, the former Kapchorwa Resident District Commissioner (RDC). [5] In the 2021 elections, Chekwel decided to run as an Independent again after losing to Cherukut in the party primaries. Cherukut got 19,004 votes while Chekwel scored 15,041 votes. [5]
She is Married to Alfred Barteka, the brother of Andrew Yesho, who is Ms Cherukut's father. [1] [5] Lydia's hobbies are working with women and children, reading papers and adventuring. [1] She has special interests in guidance and counseling women and youth, organizing and helping women and youth, supporting communities construct schools and churches/mosques. [1]