Uganda Bids Farewell to Mary Karooro Okurut

Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut, a distinguished educator, author, politician, and advocate for women’s empowerment, passed away in Kampala on August 11, 2025, at the age of 70. Her death was announced by a close friend and State Minister for Primary Health Care, Margaret Muhanga, who described her as “my literature teacher, my mentor, my very close buddy… this is a sting I’ll never forget.”

Born on December 8, 1954, in Bushenyi District, Karooro’s path was defined by a passion for knowledge and service. She earned a BA, MA, and Diploma in Education in English Literature from Makerere University before joining its Literature Department as a lecturer in 1981. Generations of journalists, writers, and leaders remember her as a nurturing yet uncompromising academic who sharpened their skills and opened doors to opportunity.

Her career evolved beyond the lecture halls. She served as Press Secretary to the Vice President and later to the President, as well as Commissioner at the Education Service Commission. In 2004, she entered elective politics as a Woman Member of Parliament for Bushenyi, later known as Sheema District. She went on to serve in senior cabinet roles, including Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development; Minister for National Security; and Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. In 2021, she was appointed Senior Presidential Advisor on Public Relations, a role she held until her passing.

Karooro was also a literary pioneer. In 1995, she founded the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE), creating a platform that amplified women’s voices and brought Ugandan literature to global attention. She authored several works that explored themes of gender, identity, and social change, and mentored numerous emerging writers.

Voices of Tribute

Her passing has drawn an outpouring of grief and admiration from across the nation:

• Margaret Muhanga, State Minister for Primary Health Care:
  
  
  “With so much pain, grief and sorrow, I announce the death of my ‘bosom buddy’ Mary Karooro Okurut. My literature teacher, my mentor, my very close buddy, my world, my all. So painful to imagine. This is a sting I’ll never forget. May the angels receive her in glory.”
  
  
• Anita Annet Among, Speaker of Parliament:
  
  
  “On a sad note, I have received the painful news of the passing of the Honourable Mary Karooro Okurut. She served in various Cabinet portfolios… Before her political career, she made significant contributions to academia in literature and communications, where her legacy continues to shine brightly.”
  
  
• Patrick Oboi Amuriat, former FDC president:
  
  
  “A good wife to Teso, a mother who was caring and who took care of our father, Okurut… she was there for him.”
  
  
• Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Publicist and media leader:
  
  
  “With a heavy heart and deep gratitude, I celebrate the life of Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut… She was a mother to many, a mentor to truth-tellers, and a rare voice of reason… To us, she was simply ‘Auntie Mary.’”
  
  

A Lasting Legacy

Karooro’s influence spanned the worlds of education, politics, literature, and community development. In Bushenyi and Sheema, her impact has been honoured with community events and even a special day in her name. For the writers of FEMRITE, she will be remembered as the visionary who believed that African women’s stories could and should shape the global narrative.

As Uganda bids farewell, Mary Karooro Okurut leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, service, and the enduring belief that words can transform lives. Her story will remain a guiding light for generations to come.