Grace Akello is a Ugandan poet, essayist, folklorist and politician.

Life

An Iteso

Iteso

The Teso are an ethnic group in eastern Uganda and western Kenya. Teso refers to the traditional homeland of the Iteso, and Ateso is their language.-Uganda:...

 born near Soroti

Soroti

Soroti is the main municipal, commercial and administrative centre of Soroti District in Eastern Uganda, lying near Lake Kyoga. It is known for the rock formation near the town as well as a variety of Muslim mosques, Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras as well as several churches that meet in various...

, Akello studied English and history at Makarere University. She worked as a magazine editor in Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

 and Tanzania

Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...

 before travelling to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 in 1981. A mother of four sons, she and her second husband have lived in Kenya. In 1996 she became a member of the Parliament of Uganda, and in 1999 was appointed Minister for Gender, Labor and Social Development. She is currently the state minister for Northern Uganda Rehabiitation.

Works

• Iteso Thought Patterns in Tales, 1975
• My Barren Song. Dar es Salam, Tanzania: Eastern African Publications, 1979
• Self Twice-Removed: Ugandan Woman, 1982