14 Facts About Debora Kayembe

Debora Kayembe Buba was born on in April 1975 and is a Scottish human rights lawyer and political activist.

Debora Kayembe has served on the board of the Scottish Refugee Council, and is a member of the office of the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court and the International Criminal Court Bar Association.

Debora Kayembe originally comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Debora Kayembe's role extended to investigating foreign investment corruption in the DRC.

Debora Kayembe was part of a delegation sent by President Joseph Kabila to South Africa aiming to establish a commission to investigate human rights in DRC.

Debora Kayembe is fluent in English, French, Lingala, Kikongo and Swahili acting as translator for refugees and patients in NHS hospitals.

Debora Kayembe has served on the Institute of Translation and Interpreting for ten years.

Debora Kayembe is a member of the Scottish Socialist Party, and sat on its executive committee from September 2015 to January 2021.

In 2017, Debora Kayembe founded a charity Full Options, promoting human rights and peace.

In 2020, Debora Kayembe faced racist attacks on her home in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian and later in relation to her election as rector.

Debora Kayembe started the Freedom Walk campaign, a civil rights movement lobbying on behalf of citizens and petitioning by promoting social reforms, racial justice and community harmony, in particularly with regard to educational racism.

In February 2021 when she was elected Rector of the University of Edinburgh, Debora Kayembe became the third woman since 1858 to hold the role just after Muriel Gray and Ann Henderson.

Debora Kayembe's appointment was welcomed by her local MP Owen Thompson with a call for changes in the UK immigration laws.

Debora Kayembe's focus as rector for the three years will be on the COVID-19 pandemic, fighting racism, encouraging diversity and equal access to higher education.