Lucy Lameck
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Lucy Lameck (1934–21 March 1993) was a
Tanzanian Demographic features of the population of Tanzania include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations, and other aspects of the population. The population distribution in Tan ...
politician, who was the first woman to hold a Ministerial post in the government. Born to a farming family, she trained as a nurse before becoming involved in politics and attending
Ruskin College Ruskin College, originally known as Ruskin Hall, Oxford, is a higher education institution and part of the University of West London, in Oxford, England. It is not a Colleges of the University of Oxford, college of Oxford University. Named ...
, Oxford, through a
scholarship A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...
. She first entered the Tanganyika
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
in 1960, before being elected to the Tanzania National Assembly in 1965. With the exception of 1975 to 1980, she continued to hold a seat there until her death in 1993. She is seen as a role model, having worked throughout her life to improve conditions within the country for women.


Early life

left, Lucy Lameck and Victoria Kopney modelling proposed National dress Lucy Selina Lameck Somi, later known as Lucy Lameck, was born in 1934 to Chagga parents near to the
Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at above sea level and above its plateau base. It is also the highest volcano i ...
ward in the British territory of Tanganyika (modern day
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
). She came from a family of farmers, who were politically active and once hosted political activist
Julius Nyerere Julius Kambarage Nyerere (; 13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) was a Tanzanian politician, anti-colonial activist, and political theorist. He governed Tanganyika (1961–1964), Tanganyika as prime minister from 1961 to 1962 and then as presid ...
. She attended Kilema Catholic Mission School, run by the
Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa (SMNDA; ), often called the White Sisters (''Sœurs blanches'') is a missionary society founded in 1869 that operates in Africa. It is closely associated with the Society of the Missionaries of Africa ...
. After training as a
nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
in 1950, she did not want to take part in the British colonial medical system, and so instead began working as a
secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
instead. Between 1955 and 1957, she worked for the Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union, and began to become involved in politics, working with the
Tanganyika African National Union The Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) was the principal political party in the struggle for sovereignty in the East African state of Tanganyika (now Tanzania). The party was formed from the Tanganyika African Association by Julius Nyere ...
. She was the head of the womans section of the TANU and she designed a national dress for Tanganyika. She had been one of the first attendees when TANU opened a branch in Moshi.


Political career

These political activities resulted in a
scholarship A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...
from the
Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...
in Britain to study politics at
Ruskin College Ruskin College, originally known as Ruskin Hall, Oxford, is a higher education institution and part of the University of West London, in Oxford, England. It is not a Colleges of the University of Oxford, college of Oxford University. Named ...
, Oxford. While in the UK, she spoke at East Africa House in London, and also completed a semester at
Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...
in the United States. Sponsored by the
Delta Sigma Theta Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African American Fraternities and sororities, sorority. The organization was founded by college-educated women dedicated to public service with an emp ...
sorority In North America, fraternities and sororities ( and ) are social clubs at colleges and universities. They are sometimes collectively referred to as Greek life or Greek-letter organizations, as well as collegiate fraternities or collegiate sorori ...
, she conducted a tour of African American communities across the America in 1960, to investigate the economic differences between the United States and Tanganyika. This was while the sorority was under the leadership of Dr. Jean Noble, who sought to increase ties between African Americans and Africans. When she spoke of the British Colonialism of the country, she hoped that it would be "packed up and shipped back to England" shortly. Lameck described her plans with '' Jet'' magazine to run for election in Tanganyika's first elections later that year. She also added that the race relations in her country were better than she had seen in America. She returned to Tanganyika, where she was appointed to a seat in the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
by Nyerere, who had become the
Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union ter ...
. Between 1962 and 1965, she was Parliamentary Secretary of Cooperatives and Community Development. This was the first ministerial post held by a woman in Tanganyika or Tanzania. When the newly formed Tanzania held elections in 1965, she ran and won a seat in the National Assembly, holding dual posts of Deputy Minister for Cooperatives and Community Development between 1965 and 1970, and Deputy Minister of Health between 1967 and 1972. She held her seat in the 1970 elections, but lost it in
1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
. Lameck won the seat back again following the general election in 1980, and continued to hold it until her death. She introduced a variety of legislation, including those to improve the conditions for women within the country. She died on 21 March 1993 from
kidney disease Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an Inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Infla ...
. Her funeral with full honours was attended by Nyerere,
President of Zanzibar The president of Zanzibar () is the head of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, which is a Autonomous administrative division, semi-autonomous government within Tanzania. The current president is Hussein Mwinyi. The president is also the ...
Salmin Amour Salmin Amour (born 1942) is a Tanzanian politician who served as President of Zanzibar from 25 October 1990 to 8 November 2000. He was elected in 1990 as the sole candidate and received 98 percent of the votes. In Tanzania's first multi-party el ...
and
Prime Minister of Tanzania The prime minister of Tanzania is the leader of government business in the National Assembly of Tanzania. The position is subordinated to the president of Tanzania, who is the actual head of government. The functions and powers of the prime min ...
John Malecela. She has since been considered a
role model A role model is a person whose behaviour, example, or success serves as a model to be emulated by others, especially by younger people. The term ''role model'' is credited to sociologist Robert K. Merton, who hypothesized that individuals compa ...
for women, in particular female politicians, within Tanzania.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lameck, Lucy 1934 births 1993 deaths People from Kilimanjaro Region Alumni of Ruskin College Tanganyika African National Union politicians Members of the National Assembly (Tanzania) Deaths from kidney disease Tanzanian Christians 20th-century Tanzanian women politicians