Full Name: Nana Mwafrika Nalongo Mbarikiwa
Nationality: Ugandan
Who is Nana?: Feminist and human rights defender
Introduction
Nana Mwafrika Mbarikiwa is a bold Ugandan activist whose life’s work centers on human rights, feminist organizing and justice for survivors of state violence. A survivor herself, Nana has become one of the strongest voices in Uganda demanding police accountability, gender justice and equal access to healthcare. Whether she’s calling out police brutality in courtrooms, organizing street protests, or offering solidarity to detained activists, Nana brings power, truth and fire to every space she enters.
Early Life and Education
Nana was born and raised in Uganda to a father who was a military officer and a mother who was a strict disciplinarian. Her childhood was filled with deep questions about gender, power and religion. She was a dreamer and a rebel. The church gave her a platform to sing, lead and grow in confidence, but it also made her confront her early ideas of womanhood. From a young age, she resisted patriarchal control both in the home and in society.
Her experience as a mother, a survivor of maternal health abuse and a victim of state brutality reshaped her activism, rooting it in lived pain and collective resistance.
Key Campaigns and Milestones
1. Police Brutality and Legal Justice
In 2018, while protesting the brutal arrest of MP Bobi Wine and other opposition leaders, Nana was severely beaten by police. At the time, she was in critical condition and had just come out of hospital due to a miscarriage. The beating left her unable to walk for nearly a year. Her case sparked national outcry and led to a lawsuit that became a rallying point for Uganda’s civil rights movement. Nana continues to pursue justice in court, not just for herself, but for all survivors of police abuse.
2. Founder of End Brutality
Nana founded End Brutality, a campaign and platform dedicated to documenting police abuse and pushing for accountability in Uganda’s law enforcement. The movement has helped raise awareness and build networks of solidarity among survivors and activists across the country.
3. Women in Resistance Uganda (WiRU)
Nana co-leads this feminist collective, which brings together women activists from across Uganda to support each other, respond to threats and organize campaigns that center intersectional feminist leadership.
4. Maternal Health Advocacy
Nana’s own traumatic experience with Uganda’s health system, being mistreated by doctors during her miscarriage, pushed her to fight for better maternal care. She often speaks about the link between medical violence and patriarchy and how poor women are the most affected.
5. Community Organizing and Emergency Response
When activists are arrested or go missing in Uganda, Nana is often one of the first to act. She mobilizes legal support, raises bail funds and shows up in court. During a recent wave of abductions in 2024–2025, Nana has continued to be a key responder, even as she faces ongoing threats from the state.
Advocacy and Leadership Philosophy
Nana’s leadership is rooted in honesty, rage and sisterhood. She believes in:
- Radical care – checking in, showing up and protecting each other
- Accountability – both from the state and within movements
- Feminist truth-telling – naming what hurts and who is responsible
- Accessible activism – using social media, public spaces and everyday language to engage people. She often says: “I don’t speak for anyone. I speak with people.”
Motivation
5 Things That Define Nana Mwafrika
- Survivor-Led Activism
Her work is grounded in personal experience, from miscarriage to state violence. - Unapologetic Feminism
Nana reclaims space and language for women, especially in male-dominated justice movements. - Legal Fighter
She continues to push her court case against the police, setting an example for others. - Emergency Responder
Nana is known for organizing rapid response teams when activists are detained or abducted. - Movement Builder
From End Brutality to WiRU, she has built safe and powerful spaces for resistance.
Lessons for the Young Generation
- Speak up even when your voice shakes.
- Document everything. Your phone is a tool for justice.
- Care is political. Check on your fellow activists.
- Your story matters. Use it to build collective action.
- Rest is resistance too. Healing is part of the work.
Media and Recognition
Nana has been featured by Human Rights Watch, African media outlets and global feminist forums. In 2023 and 2024, she was regularly cited in reports on shrinking civic space in Uganda. Despite the threats, surveillance and health complications she still lives with, Nana continues to speak out.
Watch Nana’s story on YouTube
Connect with Nana on X
https://x.com/mwafrika_nana
Gallery
From protest lines to hospital corridors, from courtrooms to feminist gatherings, explore the moments that define Nana’s fierce and deeply human activism.
