President Yoweri Museveni has accorded an official burial to the late Hon. Canon Mary Karooro Busingye Okurut, a distinguished academic, author, former Bushenyi District Woman MP, Cabinet Minister, and Senior Presidential Advisor on Public Relations.
The Ministry of Presidency confirmed that the National Organizing Committee (N.O.C.) will coordinate closely with the family to finalize the burial arrangements. Minister for the Presidency Milly Babalanda extended her condolences to Okurut’s family, relatives, in-laws, the people of Bushenyi and Teso, the Government, the Church of Uganda, the NRM party, and all Ugandans mourning the loss of this gifted, patriotic leader, praying that her soul rests in eternal peace.
Mary Karooro Okurut passed away on August 11, 2025, at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi after sustaining severe injuries in a road accident the previous month. She had initially received treatment at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala before being airlifted to Nairobi for specialized care. Born on December 8, 1954, in Bushenyi District, Okurut pursued an impressive academic career, earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Literature and a Diploma in Education from Makerere University. She served as a lecturer in the university’s Department of Literature in the early 1980s before entering public service.
Okurut’s political career spanned decades, beginning as Press Secretary to the Vice President and later to the President. She was elected Bushenyi Woman MP in 2004 and held the seat until 2021. During her parliamentary tenure, she served in various ministerial portfolios, including Gender, Labour and Social Development (2012–2015); National Security (2015); and General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister (2016–2021). At the time of her death, she was Senior Presidential Advisor on Public Relations.
Beyond politics, Okurut was a celebrated literary figure and women’s rights advocate. She founded FEMRITE, the Uganda Women Writers Association, which has nurtured generations of female authors. Her own works, including The Invisible Weevil, The Official Wife, and A Woman’s Voice, remain widely respected in Ugandan literature. She also spearheaded community development projects, such as a reusable sanitary pad factory, a skills training center in Bushenyi, and a school offering free education to orphans and underprivileged children.
News of her passing elicited widespread mourning. Leaders and residents of Bushenyi and Teso described her as a unifying and maternal figure who transcended political divides. Colleagues and friends, including MP Margaret Muhanga, remembered her as a mentor, literary guide, and close friend, expressing profound grief at her loss. Longtime aides and local residents highlighted her personal mentorship, citing how she encouraged women to take leadership roles, with some rising to positions such as LC III chairpersons. Religious leaders, including Bishop Johnson Twinomujuni, hailed her as a remarkable daughter of the soil, whose legacy in literature, public service, and women’s empowerment will endure.
With the President granting her an official burial, the N.O.C. will engage with the family to finalize arrangements, a gesture that underscores her remarkable contributions to academia, literature, governance, and community development in Uganda. Mary Karooro Okurut’s death marks the passing of a trailblazer whose life and work have left an indelible imprint on the nation.
