- Source: List of the first women holders of political offices in Africa
This is a list of political offices which have been held by a woman, with details of the first woman holder of each office. It is ordered by the countries in Africa and by dates of appointment. Please observe that this list is meant to contain only the first woman to hold of a political office, and not all the female holders of that office.
Algeria
= Antiquity
=Monarch - Tin Hinan - 4th century
= Republic
=Secretary of State of Social Affairs – Z'hour Ounissi – 1982
Vice-Minister of Education – Leila Khira Taib – 1984
Minister of Social Affairs – Z'hour Ounissi – 1984
Minister of Education (And third in the Cabinet) – Z'hour Ounissi – 1986
Minister of Health – Nafissa Lalliam – 1991
Minister of Youth and Sports – Leïla Aslaoui – 1991
Minister of State for National Solidarity – Saida Benhabyles – 1992
Minister-Councillor for Juridical and Administrative Questions – Meriem Belmilhoub Zerdani – 1993
Secretary of State for National Solidarity and the Family – Aïcha Hénia Semichi – 1995
Minister of National Solidarity and Family – Rabéa Mechrane – 1997
Secretary of State of Culture – Zahia Benarous – 1997
Minister of Culture – Khalida Toumi - 2002; Nadia Labidi – 2014
Minister of Education – Nouria Benghabrit-Remaoun – 2014
Minister of Land-Use Planning and Environment – Dalila Boudjemaa – 2014
Minister of Family and Women – Mounia Meslem – 2014
Minister of Post, Information Technology and Communication Women – Zahra Dardouri – 2014
Minister of Tourism – Nouria Yamina Zerhouni – 2014
Minister of Artisana & Handicrafts - Aish Tabagho – 2014
Angola
Vice-Minister of Internal Trade – Maria Mambo Café – 1977
Minister of Social Affairs – Maria Mambo Café – 1982
Minister of Justice - Guilhermina Contreiras da Costa Prata - 2008-2012
Benin
Minister of Public Health – Rafiatou Karimou – 1989
Minister of Justice - Grace d'Almeida - 1995-1996
Foreign minister – Mariam Aladji Boni Diallo – 2006
Botswana
Minister of Trade and Industry – Gaositwe K.T. Chiepe – 1974
Foreign minister – Gaositwe K.T. Chiepe – 1985
Chairperson of the House of Chiefs – Mosadi Seboko – 2003
Minister of Justice - Lesego Motsumi - 2010-2011
Burkina Faso
Minister of Social Welfare, Housing and Labour – Célestine Ouezzin Coulibaly – 1958
Minister of Justice - Marie Louise Nignan-Bassolet -1982-1983
Burundi
Minister for Women's Questions – Euphrasie Kandeke – 1982
Prime Minister – Sylvie Kinigi – 1993
President (acting) – Sylvie Kinigi – 1993
Minister of Justice - Clotilde Niragira - 2005-2007
Foreign minister – Antoinette Batumubwira – 2006
Cameroon
Member of Parliament (appointed) - Dorcas Idowu - 1955
Member of Parliament (elected) - Julienne Keutcha - 1960
Vice-Minister of Health and Public Welfare – Delphine Zanga Tsogo – 1970
Minister of Social Affairs – Delphine Zanga Tsogo – 1975
Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice – Feh Helen Kwanga Galega – 2020
Cape Verde
Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Rural Development – Maria Helena Nobre de Morais Querido Semedo – 1993
Minister of Justice - Januaria Moreira - 1999-2001
Foreign minister – Fátima Veiga – 2002
Defence minister – Cristina Fontes Lima – 2006
Central African Republic
Member of Parliament – Marthe Matongo – 1964
Government minister (Social Affairs) – Marie-Joséphe Franck – 1970
Prime Minister – Elisabeth Domitien – 1975
Foreign minister – Léonie Banga-Bothy – 2013
Head of State – Catherine Samba-Panza – 2014
Minister of Justice - Isabelle Gaudeuille -2014-2016
Chad
Minister of Parliament – Bourkou Louise Kabo – 1962
Minister of Social Affairs and Women – Fatimé Kimto – 1982
Comoros
Secretary of State for Population and the Condition of Women - Sittou Raghadat Mohamed - 1991 (First female appointed to a senior government position)
Member of the Assembly of the Union of the Comoros – Djoueria Abdallah – 2004
Congo-Brazzaville
Member of Parliament - Micheline Golengo, Pierrette Kombo and Mambou Aimée Gnali - 1963
Minister of Public Service – Charlotte Kisimba – 1970
Minister of Social Affairs - Emilie Manima - 1975
Minister of Primary Education - Bernadette Bayone - 1984
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs - Jeanne Dambendzet - 1989
Democratic Republic of the Congo
= Zaire
=Minister of Social Affairs – Sophie Kanza – 1967
Foreign minister – Ekila Liyonda – 1987
= Republic
=Chief of Staff (Prime Minister) - Marie-Thérèse Nlandu Mpolo Nene
Speaker of the National Assembly - Jeanine Mabunda - 2019
Djibouti
Deputy Head of State - Kadidja Abeba - 1992
Cabinet member (Minister-Delegate for the Promotion of Women, Family and Social Affairs) - Hawa Ahmed Youssouf - 1999
Cabinet Minister (Minister in charge of the Promotion of Women, Family Welfare and Social Affairs) - Aïcha Mohamed Robleh - 2005
Egypt
= Ancient
=Pharaoh (monarch) – Sobekneferu – 1806 BC (First known female Head of State in history)
= Republic
=Member of Parliament – Rawya Ateya – 1957 (First female Member of Parliament in the Arab world)
Minister (for Social Affairs) – Dr. Hikmat Abu Zayd – 1962
Ambassador of Egypt - Aisha Rateb - 1979
Mayor – Eva Habil, (Komboha) – 2008
Equatorial Guinea
Member of Parliament – Cristina Makoli and Lorenza Matute – 1968
Minister of Womens Participation – Christina Ndjombe Ndjangani – 1978
Minister of Justice - Evangelina Filomena Oyo Ebule - 2014-2018
Eritrea
Minister of Justice - Fozia Hashim - 1993
Ethiopia
Monarch – Empress Zewditu – 1916
Member of Parliament – Senedu Gebru – 1957
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs – Youdith Imre – 1966
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs – Youdith Imre – 1971
Minister of Education – Woizero Mary Tadesso – 1991
Minister of Health – Adanetch Kidane Miriam – 1991
Leader of a Political Party (Unity for Democracy and Justice Party) - Birtukan Mideksa - 2009
President - Sahle-Work Zewde – 2018
Mayor of Addis Ababa – Adanech Abebe – 2021
Gabon
Member of Parliament – Virginie Ambougou and Antoinette Tsono – 1961
Minister of Social Affairs and Women – Antoniette Oliveira – 1980
Minister of Justice - Sophie Diouly - 1987-1989
Foreign minister – Pascaline Mferri Bongo – 1991
President (interim) – Rose Francine Rogombé – 2009
Speaker of the Senate – Rose Francine Rogombé – 2009
The Gambia
Member of Parliament – Virginie Ambougou and Antoinette Tsono – 1961
Member of Parliament – Lucretia St. Clair Joof – 1968
Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture – Louise N'Jie – 1982
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Gambia - Hawa Sisay-Sabally 1996-1998
Vice President – Isatou Njie-Saidy – 1997
Foreign minister – Susan Waffa-Ogoo – 2012
Ghana
MP – Mabel Dove Danquah – 1954
Minister of Social Affairs – Suzanna Al-Hassan – 1963
Foreign minister – Gloria Amon Nikoi – 1979
Minister of Justice and Attorney General - Betty Mould-Iddrisu - 2009-2011
Speaker of Parliament - Joyce Bamford-Addo - 2009-2013
Guinea
Secretary of State for Social Affairs – Camara Loffo – 1961
Minister of Social Affairs – Jeanne Martin-Cissé – 1976
Foreign minister – Mahawa Bangoura – 2000
Minister of Justice - Paulette Kourouma - 2007-2008
Guinea-Bissau
Minister of Health and Social Affairs – Carmen Pereira – 1981
President of Guinea-Bissau (acting) – Carmen Pereira – May 1984
Presidential candidate in Guinea-Bissau - Antoineta Rosa Gomes - 1994, 1999 and 2005
Foreign minister – Hilia Barber – 1999
Minister of Justice - Antoineta Rosa Gomes - 2000-2001
Defence minister – Filomena Mascarenhas Tipote – 2005
Prime Minister (acting) – Adiato Djaló Nandigna – 2012
Ivory Coast
Minister for Women's Affairs – Jeanne Gervais – 1976
Minister of Justice - Jacqueline Oble - 1991-1994
Kenya
Member of Parliament - Sidney Farrar – 1938
Mayor of Nairobi – Lady Gwladys Delamere – 1938
Assistant Minister of Housing and Social Services – Julia Ojiambo – 1974
Minister of National Heritage, Culture and Social Affairs – Winifred Nyiva Kitili Mwendwa – 1995
Minister of Justice - Martha Karua – 2006-2009
Minister of Constitutional Affairs - Martha Karua – 2008
Foreign minister – Amina Mohamed – 2013
Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs - Amina Mohamed - 2013
Attorney General - Dorcas Oduor - 2024
Lesotho
Regent – Queen 'Mantšebo – 1941
High Court Assessor - 'Masechele Caroline Ntseliseng Khaketla - 1979
Minister of State of Youth and Women's Affairs – Anna Matlehma Hlalele – 1986-1990
Minister of State by the Chairperson of the Military Council – Anna Matlehma Hlalele – 1990-1992
Minister of Trade and Industry – Morena Moletsone G. Mokroane – 1990
Speaker of the National Assembly – Ntlhoi Motsamai – 1999
Liberia
= National level
=Cabinet minister - Secretary of State of Education – Ellen Mills Scarborough – 1948
Chairwoman of the Council of State (head of state) – Ruth Perry – 1997
Chief Justice - Gloria Musu-Scott - 1998-2003
Mayor of Monrovia – Ophelia Hoff Saytumah – 2001
President pro tempore of the Liberian Senate – Grace B. Minor – 2002
President – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – 2006
Vice President – Jewel Taylor – 2018
Individual ministries
Assistant Attorney General – Angie Elizabeth Brook-Randolph – 1953
Minister of Health and Social Security – Edith Mai Wiles Padmore – 1976
Foreign minister – Dorothy Musuleng-Cooper – 1994
Minister of Justice - Gloria Musu-Scott - (1996)
Libya
Minister of Education – Fatima Abd al-Hafiz Mukhtar – 1989
Minister of Youth and Sports – Bukhanra Salem Houda – 1990
Assistant Secretary General of The Peoples’ Congress – Salmin Ali al-Uraybi – 1990
Assistant Secretary for Women – Salma Ahmed Rashed – 1992
Secretary in the General Secretariat of the General Peoples' Congress for Women's Affairs – Thuriya Ramadan Abu Tabrika (Sefrian) – 1995
Secretary for Information, Culture and Mass Mobilization – Fawziya Bashir al-Shalababi – 1995
Secretary in the General Secretariat of the General Peoples' Congress for Social Affairs - Shalma Chabone Abduljabbar – 2000
Secretary of People's Committees Affairs – Huda Fathi Ben Amer – 2009
Member of the Interim National Council in charge of Legal Affairs – Salwa Fawzi El-Deghali – 2011
Minister of Health – Fatima Hamroush – 2011
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Najla Mangoush – 2021
Madagascar
Minister of Revolutionary Art and Culture – Gisèle Rabesahala – 1977
Secretary of State for University Affairs – Elénore Marguritte Nerine – 1993
Foreign minister – Lila Ratsifandrihamanana – 1998
Minister of Justice - Alice Rajaonah - 2002-2004
Defence minister – Cécile Manorohanta – 2007
Prime Minister (acting) – Cécile Manorohanta – 2009
President (Malagasy National Assembly) - Christine Razanamahasoa - 2014
Malawi
Parliamentary Secretary for Community and Social Development – Rose Chibambo – 1964
Parliamentary Secretary to the President – Jean M. Mlanga – 1966
Minister of State for Women's and Children’s Affairs – Edda E. Chitalo – 1994
Foreign minister – Lilian Patel – 2000
Interior minister – Anna Kachikho – 2005
Vice President – Joyce Banda – 2009
President – Joyce Banda – 2012
Speaker of the National Assembly - Catherine Gotani Hara - 2019
Mali
Member of Parliament - Aoua Kéita - 1960
Minister of Social Affairs and Health – Sominé Dolo – 1965
Secretary of State for Social Affairs – Inna Sissoko Cissé – 1968
Foreign minister – Sy Kadiatou Sow – 1994
Minister of Justice - Fatoumata Sylla - 2004-2007
Prime minister – Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé – 2011
Mauritania
Government minister – Aïssata Kane – 1975
Foreign minister – Naha Mint Mouknass – 2009
Mayor of Nouakchott – Maty Mint Hamady – 2014
Mauritius
Member of Parliament – Emilienne Rochecouste, Denise De Chazal – 1948
Minister of Women's Affairs, Prizes and Consumer's Affairs – Radhamanay Roonoosarny – 1975
Minister of Justice and Attorney General - Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra - 1982-1983
Minister of Youth and Sports – Marie Claude Arouff-Parfait – 1995
Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare – Indira Thacoor Sidaya – 1995
Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions – Sheila Bappoo – 2005
Parliamentary Private Secretary – Kalyanee Bedwantee Juggoo – 2010
President (acting) – Monique Ohsan Bellepeau – 2012
Minister of Education and human Resources – Leela Devi Dookhun Luchoomun – 2014
Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius - Maya Hanoomanjee
President – Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – 2015
Morocco
= National level
=High Commissioner for Handicapped – Aziza Bennani – 1994
Mayor (Essaouira) – Asma Chaabi – 2003
= Individual ministries
=Secretary of State of Energy and Mines – Amina Benkhadra – 1997
Secretary of State for Family Affairs - Yasmina Baddou - 2002
Secretary of State for Literacy and non-formal Education – Najima Rhozali – 2002
Minister of Energy and Mines – Amina Benkhadra – 2007
Minister of Health - Yasmina Baddou - 2007
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs – Latifa Akherbach – 2007
Secretary of State for Education – Latifa Labida – 2007
Minister of Sports – Nawal El Moutawakel – 2007
Minister of Solidarity, Women, Family, and Social Development – Nouzha Skalli (2007)
Minister of Culture – Touriya Jabrane – 2007
Minister of Health – Yasmina Baddou – 2007
Ministry of Craft and Social Economy – Fatema Marouane – 2013
Mozambique
Minister of Education and Culture – Graça Simbini Machel – 1975
Prime Minister – Luisa Diogo – 2004
Foreign minister – Alcinda Abreu – 2005
Minister of Justice - Esperanza Machavela - 2007-2008
Namibia
Minister-Delegate of Local Government & Housing – Libertine Appolus Amathila – 1987
Minister of Local Government and Lands – Libertine Appolus Amathila – 1989
Interior minister – Rosalia Nghidinwa – 2005
Foreign Minister – Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah – 2013
Prime Minister – Saara Kuugongelwa – 2015
Deputy Prime Minister – Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah – 2015
Niger
Minister of Social Affairs and Women's Affairs – Aïssata Moumouni – 1989
Foreign minister – Aïchatou Mindaoudou – 1999
Nigeria
Minister of National Planning – Adenike Ebun Oyagbola – 1979
Finance Minister – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – 2003
Foreign Minister – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala- 2006
= Anambra State
=Governor of Anambra State (South East Nigeria) – Virginia Etiaba – 2006
= Rivers State
=Commissioner of Works – Felicity Okpete Ovai – 2003
Deputy Governor of Rivers State (Southern Nigeria) – Ipalibo Banigo – 2015
Rwanda
Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health – Madeleine Ayinkamiye – 1964
Prime Minister – Agathe Uwilingiyimana – 1993
Minister of Justice - Agnès Ntamabyaliro Rutagwera - 1993-1994
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Rosemary Museminali – 2008
President of the Chamber of Deputies of Rwanda – Rose Mukantabana – 2008
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Secretary of External Affairs – Joan S. Dorchville – 1967
Commissioner of Labour – Hedwige Rosemond – 1974
Governor – Lisa Phillips – 2016
Chief Minister of Saint Helena – Julie Thomas – 2021
São Tomé and Príncipe
Minister of Culture and Education – Alda Neves da Graça do Espirito Santo – 1975
Foreign minister – Maria do Nascimento da Graça Amorim – 1978
Prime Minister – Maria das Neves – 2002
Minister of Justice - Edite Ramos da Costa Ten Jua - 2013-2016
Senegal
Minister of Social Affairs – Caroline Faye Diop – 1978
Minister of Justice - Mame Madior Boye - 2000
Prime Minister – Mame Madior Boye – 2001
Seychelles
Member of Parliament – Marie-Cécile Collet – 1948
Minister of External Affairs and Planning – Danielle de St. Jorre – 1989
Foreign minister – Danielle de St. Jorre – 1989
Sierra Leone
House of Representatives (Paramount Chief Member for Moyamba District) - Ella Koblo Gulama - 1957
Minister of State – Ella Koblo Gulama – 1962
Foreign minister – Shirley Gbujama – 1996
Minister of Justice and Attorney General - Priscilla Schwartz - 2018
Somalia
Member of a City Council – Halima Godane – 1958
Assistant Minister of Education – Fadumo Ahmed Alin – 1974
Assistant Minister of Health – Raqiya Haji Dualeh (Raqiya Doaleh Abdalla) – 1983
Minister of Health – Nur Ilmi Uthman – 1994
Foreign minister – Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan – 2012
Deputy prime minister – Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan – 2012
Somaliland
Foreign minister – Edna Adan Ismail – 2003
South Africa
= Union
=Mayor of Pretoria – Mabel Malherbe – 1931
Member of Parliament – Leila Reitz – 1933
Leader of a political party (President of the Liberal Party of South Africa) – Margaret Ballinger – 1953
Mayor of Cape Town – Joyce Newton-Thompson – 1959
= Republic
=Government minister – Rina Venter – 1989
Health minister – Rina Venter – 1989
Speaker of the House - Frene Ginwala - 1994-2004
Foreign minister – Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma – 1999
Deputy President – Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka – 2005
Leader of a major political party – Helen Zille – 2007
Premier of Western Cape – Lynne Brown – 2008
Sudan
Member of Parliament – Fatima Ahmed Ibrahim – 1965
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport – Nafisah Ahmad al-Amin – 1971
Minister of State of Social Welfare – Fatima Abdel Mahmoud – 1974
Minister of State of the Interior, Commissioner for Refugees – Fatma Abdulmahmud – 1995
Minister of Health – Ihsan Abdallah el-Ghabshawi – 1996
Minister of Public Service and Manpower (Labour Forces) – Agnes Lukudi – 1998
Governor (of Bahr-al-Jabal) – Agnes Lukudi – 1994
Swaziland
Regent – Queen Labotsibeni Mdluli – 1899
Minister of Health – Fanny Friedman – 1987
Tanzania
Deputy Minister for Health – Bibi Titi Mohammed – 1962
Minister of Justice – Julie Manning – 1975
Foreign minister – Asha-Rose Migiro – 2006
Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs - Mary Nagu - 2006-2008
President of Tanzania - Samia Suluhu Hassan - 2021–present
Minister of Defence and National Service – Stergomena Tax – 2021–present
Togo
MP - Joséphine Hundt - 1961
Mayor - Marie Madoé Sivomey - 1967
Minister of Justice - Bibi Yao Savi de Tore - 1978-1982
Tunisia
= National level
=Cabinet minister - Minister of Women's Affairs – Fethia Mzali – 1983
Leader of a Political Party – Maya Jribi – 2006
Vice-President of the Legislative assembly (Constituent Assembly of Tunisia) – Meherzia Labidi Maïza – 2011
Individual ministries
Minister of Public Health – Souad Yaacoubi – 1984
Minister of the Environment – Faïza Kefi – 1999
Minister of Vocational Training – Faïza Kefi – 2001
Minister of Employment – Néziha Zarrouk – 2001
Minister of Culture – Moufida Tlatli – 2011
Minister of Commerce – Nejla Moalla – 2014
Minister of Tourism – Amel Karboul – 2014
Uganda
Member of Parliament – Florence Alice Lubega – 1962
Foreign minister – Elizabeth Bagaya – 1974
Vice President – Specioza Kazibwe – 1994
Minister of Justice - Janat Mukwaya - 2001-2003
Zambia
Members of Parliament – Ester Banda, Malina Chilila, Margret Mbeba, Nakatindi Yeta Nganga, Madeline Robertson – 1964
Junior Minister – Nakatindi Yeta Nganga – 1966
Minister of Health – Mutumba Mainga Bull – 1973
Vice President – Inonge Wina – 2015
Speaker of the National Assembly – Nelly Mutti – 2021
Zanzibar
Minister of Culture – Manical Mastura Ali Salem – 1981
Zimbabwe
= National level
=Member of Parliament – Ethel Tawse Jollie – 1923
Mayor – Gladys Maasdorp – 1942
Senators – Olive Robertson and Helena van Biljon – 1970
Cabinet minister – Joice Mujuru – 1980
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly – Edna Madzongwe – 1995
Provincial governor – Oppah Muchinguri – 2000
Vice-President of ZANU–PF – Joice Mujuru – 2004
Vice-President – Joice Mujuru – 2004
President of the Senate – Edna Madzongwe – 2005
Deputy Prime Minister – Thokozani Khupe – 2009
President (acting) – Joice Mujuru – 2009
National Chairperson of ZANU–PF – Oppah Muchinguri – 2017
Attorney-General – Virginia Mabhiza – 2023
Individual ministries
Minister of Youth, Sport, and Recreation – Joice Mujuru – 1980
Minister of National Resources and Tourism – Victoria Chitepo – 1982
Minister of Education – Victoria Chitepo – 1988
Minister of Information – Victoria Chitepo – 1988
Minister of Posts and Telecommunications – Victoria Chitepo – 1990
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education – Olivia Muchena – 2013
Minister of State for Masvingo Province – Shuvai Mahofa – 2015
Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs – Oppah Muchinguri – 2018
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services – Monica Mutsvangwa – 2018
Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Province – Monica Mavhunga – 2018
= Regional level
=Mayor of Salisbury (today Harare) – Gladys Maasdorp – 1942
Mayor of Gatooma (today Kadoma) – Maud Godsmark – 1955
Mayor of Que Que (today Kwekwe) – Barbara Ashton – 1959
Mayor of Bulawayo – Margot Brett – 1960
Governor of Manicaland Province – Oppah Muchinguri – 2000
Mayor of Mutare – Sophia Rudo Gwasira – 2023
Footnotes and references
See also
List of women heads of state
List of women heads of government
List of the first LGBT holders of political offices
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Africa
- List of the first openly LGBT holders of political offices
- List of the first women holders of political offices
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Asia
- List of the first women holders of political offices in North America
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Europe
- List of the first women holders of political offices in South America
- List of the first women holders of political offices in Oceania
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Africa
- List of first openly LGBTQ politicians in the United States
