Member of Parliament, Advocate
Tanzania

Upendo Furaha Peneza is currently a Member of Parliament in the United Republic of Tanzania through the opposition party, Chama cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA). She serves as a Chairperson of the Tanzania Youth Parliamentarians Forum (TYPF), which is the youth caucus in the parliament. Upendo is also a member of the technical team of the women caucus in parliament.

She is also part of a legal committee in the parliament that has secured women’s representation by law on various organizations and structures created by government and has enclosed sections for the protection of women’s rights.

Upendo is an advocate for women and girl’s rights in and out of parliament. She runs women’s empowerment programs in her constituency where she has mobilized women to form women’s savings and credit groups. In the groups, women are educated about their rights and entrepreneurial skills.

As a role model to young women in the country who aspire to leadership positions, Upendo takes part in mentorship programs for experience sharing and trainings with a roster of mentees.

Upendo holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology through the Open University of Tanzania.