Uruana Malenatu Sengara

Uruana Malenatu Sengara was the 16th prime minister of the Most Serene Republic of Baranxtu. With 23 years in office, she was also the longest serving prime minister ever.

Biography

Uruana Sengara was born to an Old Baranxtuan family in Laila, a remote town close to the eastern border of Baranxtu. She was home-schooled by her mother, Nia Alidatu Imena, a famous writer of both poetry and prose in her time.

She married Laimida Sehuaggatu Nesibega in 1948, and in 1952 gave birth to their daughter Amida, with her wife's brother Itrami Neogritu Nesibegi donating the sperm. Four years later, they reversed roles and in 1957, Laimida gave birth to Uruana's brother Ulagi Nemroti Sengari's son Hashit.

The patchwork family (including Itrami Nesibegi and his family as well as Ulagi Sengari and his family) moved to the capital in 1965, where the job situation was a lot better than in Laila.

During her fast rise in politics, she became estranged from her wife and they decided to get a divorce in 1971. Two years later, she married her secretary Untei Mahilitu Eggeri. Many were surprised by this, as she had not shown any interest in men before. In 1979, she and her husband divorced, too, though the reasons were never given. A year later though she remarried Laimida, and they announced that they had fallen in love again.

When her daughter Amida died in a car crash in 1984, and she suffered subsequently a heart attack. However, after her recovery, she reassumed her post as prime minister in fall of 1985.

The next decade her state of health steadily degraded, and in 1996, after she was re-elected prime minister for the sixth time, she announced that she would retire after this term in office to spend her last years with her family.

Unfortunately, she did not live to see this moment. On March 23rd, 1999, she suffered a stroke and died six days later in hospital.

Her widow Laimida Nesibega founded the Uruana Malenatu Sengara Memorial Foundation, which collects money to donate to hospitals and civil rights organisations. She still is chairwoman of that organisation.

Political Career

She became active in politics in 1966, and run for a parliament seat in 1968. She was elected head of the party in 1970, and under her leadership, the Party for the Union of all People of the Republic almost doubled its number of seats.

In 1976, she negotiated a coalition between her party and the Liberty and Justice League and could become prime minister.

She was reelected in 1980 and 1984, with her party steadily gaining support.

She did not fully recover from her heart attack in 1984, though, and her failing health led members of her party and the opposition to call for her retirement, but Uruana Sengara proved that she was a competent leader when she was able to avert an internal crisis when Traditional Baranxtuans tried to start a civil war to gain independance.

Offices and Titles Overview