Hon. Karooro Okurut: The pen rests, the legacy lives

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OPINION

By Duncan Abigaba

Many acquaintances and political supporters fondly referred to the late Hon. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut as Nyakikongoro, a pet name for girls in our Abateizi clan. The Bateizi trace their ancestry to Kateizi, son of Kahaya Rutindangyezi, the last King of Mpororo. Today, they predominantly reside in the present-day Bushenyi and Sheema districts.

Mary was an aunt to many of us — to her family, the Abateizi clan, the people of Bushenyi and Teso, and indeed, to the whole of Uganda. Her selflessness, compassion, and kindness knew no creed or tribe; they extended to anyone in need.

I had the honour of knowing and working closely with Aunt Mary on several occasions. The first was when she was appointed Minister of Security in the lead-up to the 2016 general elections. At the time, I worked in the Office of the President, stationed in the Research Department on the ground floor, while the Ministry of Security occupied the seventh floor. This is when I began to meet and interact with her on a regular basis.

Unlike other former Ministers of Security — many of whom were military generals with fleets of escort vehicles and personnel — Mary kept the glamour away. She moved with a single vehicle and one escort, often strolling unaccompanied between her office and the main parliamentary building. I took advantage of her simplicity to chat with her about Bushenyi political gossip — and occasionally to ask for airtime from the security operations fund.

Our paths crossed again in 2019, when she served as Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. She was writing a book on Uganda’s Industrialisation Journey since 1986 and was always eager to share her knowledge and insights through pen and paper. Together with my former colleagues, Awel Uwihanganye and Ivan Rugambwa, we reviewed her final manuscript and worked with her during preparations for the book launch, which was presided over by the President at State House, Entebbe, in September 2019.

Later, upon her appointment as Senior Presidential Advisor, Aunt Mary called me and tasked me with developing her office’s work plan. She was keen to improve Uganda’s image in both local and international media, especially in the wake of the hotly contested 2021 elections. This became another opportunity for us to work closely.

When we were working on her book project, Aunt Mary confided that she planned to retire from politics at the end of her term in 2021. But writing and leadership were her true calling, and it didn’t take long before she re-entered the political fray — only to later fall victim to the current monetised and unprincipled nature of NRM politics.

Aunt Mary served as Spokesperson of the NRM between 2005 and 2020, largely as a volunteer without institutionalised reward. Her brilliance, eloquence, and diplomacy earned the party considerable support, especially among the elite, who resonated with her intellect and approach. She was also a political vanguard in Greater Bushenyi, having been elected District Woman Representative in 2004 before the district was split. She built bridges, discouraged religion-based politics, and was always a voice of reason.

She was the epitome of public service. Mary served as Press Secretary to the President when the position was coveted and carried great honour. Throughout her work, she inspired many girls — especially students of her former schools, Bweranyangi and Nabbingo — to pursue exemplary public careers. After more than three decades in public service, she has left with a scandal-free record, a rare feat in a country often marred by public service controversies.

Aunt Mary’s pen may have fallen silent, but her legacy lives on through the books she authored, through the archives of New Vision, where she ran a weekly column for decades, and through her extensive community work.

In Bushenyi, she championed numerous community initiatives. Two stand out as lasting monuments to her memory: the Ntambiko Crafts Village, located past Uganda Technical College — a project preserving Nkore culture while equipping women with craft-making skills for a livelihood; and the Menstruation Pad Factory she was establishing to keep girls in school by providing affordable sanitary pads.

Fare thee well, Nyakikongoro Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut. Your pen rests, but your words, deeds, and legacy will endure.

The writer is a former Presidential Assistant for Research and hails from Bushenyi.