Sickle cell activist, Lukia Mulumba has become the first known Ugandan-born female to attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. 

Mulumba, the president and co-founder of Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation (USCRF) received the pips at the Travis Air Force Base in California in the United States on Sunday last week.

Speaking to The East African Diaspora Media Watch, an online news organization that has an interest in East Africans living in the diaspora, Mulumba, who emigrated to the US in 1995, said that she is humbled that she has achieved such an unprecedented success.

“I’m greatly humbled and honoured by this promotion. This is a recognition and endorsement of my Air Force story, years of hard work, leadership and professionalism by my superiors. To me, this sounds unbelievable and a humbling experience for a woman of color like me. I’m so grateful. The rank is timely,” Mulumba said. “Although the promotion is coming with more challenging responsibilities, I’m ready for them.”

Mulumba boasts of a number of military trainings. She has a master’s degree in air command obtained from the Maxwell Air Force Command and Staff College Alabama. She also trained as a battlefield trauma nurse officer from the University of Maryland. She also has training in nuclear, biological, chemical, radiological warfare and terrorism response. 

Away from the military training, Mulumba, a mother of three children and wife to Abdallah Mulumba also has a doctorate in nursing from the University of Alabama Birmingham. She also has a master’s degree in nursing from Stony Brook University New York and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Catholic University of America.  

Before leaving for the United States, Mulumba who was born at Kiti in Kasangati town council, Wakiso district, had formal education at Namugongo Girls School for primary and Ndejje Secondary School. - URN/The Observer