Barbara Ann Allimadi (c. 1972 – 27 April 2020) was a Ugandan politician and human rights activist.
Early life
Allimadi was born in Uganda and her father was Eriphas Otema Allimadi, the third Prime Minister of Uganda (1980–1985). Her brother is Milton Allimadi, the journalist and newspaper founder.
Allimadi was educated at Gayaza High School, before her family went into exile when the Obote II government was overthrown. She studied for a degree in electronics and communications engineering at the London Metropolitan University. Allimadi practiced engineering in England and then returned to Uganda in 2007.
Activism
In 2012, she co-organized a protest after Ingrid Turinawe, an opposition politician known as the "Iron Lady" of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), had her breast pulled and squeezed by a police officer and the assault was televised. This became known as the "bra protest" in Uganda. Allimadi said that "I was seriously offended that a police force that is supposed to protect us had assaulted a woman in front of everyone."
Also in 2012, she was arrested after staging a demonstration in parliament with the Concerned Citizens group and her t-shirts with anti-corruption slogans were confiscated.
Allimadi was an activist for the political party FDC, and in 2019 joined newly formed Alliance for National Transformation and became their International Affairs Secretary, coordinating Ugandans in the diaspora.
Death and legacy
Allimadi was found dead in her home in Kiwaatule, Kampala on 27 April 2020. The police opened an investigation into her death.
The Barbra Allimadi Foundation was launched in her memory in 2021, to provide college and university scholarships to students, especially girls.
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