Lucy Akello

Lucy Akello is a Ugandan social worker and politician, who serves as the elected member of parliament for the Amuru District Women's Constituency in the 10th Parliament (2016 to 2021). She is a member of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and she serves as the shadow minister for labour, gender and social development.

In October 2014, Betty Bigombe, the Amuru District Women's member of parliament resigned to take up an appointment at the World Bank, in Washington, DC. A special election was organised to fill her seat in December 2014. Akello, running on the opposition FDC political party ticket, beat seven other candidates and won. During the 2016 parliamentary election, she ran successfully, again on the FDC ticket. She spoke 30 times during the first year of the 10th Parliament.

In 2005, she was hired by Justice & Peace Commission (JPC), a local non-government organization within the Catholic Church that promotes peace and reconciliation in war-torn Northern Uganda. She worked there for ten years, beginning as a program officer, then as a program manager and from 2006 until 2014, as the executive director. Her focus was on human rights, land rights, women rights and children’s rights.

Akello attended Olwal Ocaja Primary School, later she attended Lacor Primary School, Mary Immaculate Primary School Gulu and Kyambogo Primary School for her Primary Leaving Certificate. She then attended Iganga Secondary School for her O-Level studies and then to Uganda Martyrs' Secondary School Namugongo, where she completed her A-Level education. She was admitted to Makerere University, in Kampala, where she graduated in 2004, with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science. Later, in 2011, she obtained a Master of Arts in Development Studies, from Uganda Martyrs University in Nkozi, Wakiso District.

Akello was born on 9 October 1980, in Lamogi sub-county, Amuru District, in the Northern Region of Uganda. Her father is John Obina, a lecturer at Kyambogo University.