Karooro Okurut’s life was defined not by titles, but purposeful living

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TRIBUTE

By Odrek Rwabwogo

When the history of our nation is written, there will be chapters dedicated to the quiet giants who carried Uganda’s political and social transformation with steady hands and unshakable conviction.

Hon. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut was one of those rare figures, an educator, author, politician, entrepreneur and, above all, a woman of faith.

I first met her in 1994 during the Constituent Assembly (CA) deliberations, where she represented Bushenyi constituency, and we have been co-workers of the Movement and for the good of our country since.

Even then, at the CA, she stood out, not just as a professor and an articulate voice for women, children and communities, but as one deeply committed to the principles of service with integrity. Her contribution to shaping the constitutional foundation of our country was marked by diligence, intellect and virtue.

Good virtue is what has kept the good inside the Movement and our country when many have fallen off the rails because of corruption and incompetence!

Her journey in public service saw her serve in Parliament as a woman representative for Bushenyi district, and later as Minister for National Guidance.

She supported the creation of new districts out of the older Bushenyi to bring services closer to the people.

She would later assume the delicate role of Minister for National Security, a position she held until 2021, overseeing some of the nation’s most sensitive responsibilities with firmness and loyalty.

Her life had three defining marks:

1. Commitment to the NRM doctrine and leadership

Karooro was not only a believer in the National Resistance Movement’s vision, but she was one of its most consistent voices. In her writing and public engagements, she carried an unwavering commitment to explain, to educate and to inspire. Her support for the President and the First Lady went beyond official duty; it was marked by her trust, loyalty and personal friendship.

She was not just a politician; she was a true friend of the Movement, someone who believed deeply in its vision and worked tirelessly to share it with others.

2. Entrepreneurship and service to the community

In her later years, she invested in what the country needs most — enterprise and manufacturing.

In Bushenyi district, she established a sanitary pads factory in Nyakabirizi town, a venture that also served as a youth skilling centre. This was not just a business; it is an investment in dignity, opportunity and the future of young people.

When I last saw her a month ago, this was the core of her fight with everything in her belly! She also supported innovations such as SPIRO’s electric bikes, seeing the link between industrial growth and Uganda’s future. She understood that economic empowerment was a form of leadership in itself.

3. Faith and family values

A devout Born-Again Christian, she held prayer as a constant in her life. Even with her demanding career, she remained rooted in her matrimonial home in Ntinda, raising her family with the values she believed were core to Uganda’s strength, faith, unity and responsibility, long after her husband had departed.

Her voice and conviction

Her calm exchanges with the public and her with another dear comrade, Ofwono Opondo, in the early days of the NRM communications headquarters in Kamwokya, which later became the Uganda Media Centre in 2015, are remembered for their intellectual sharpness and her ability to anchor arguments in principle rather than sentiment.

Even amidst the demands of office, she maintained a vivid writing life, contributing columns that reflected her depth of thought.

Mary Karooro Okurut’s story is not simply one of positions held or titles earned. It is a life fully and well lived with a sense of purpose, to serve her country, uplift her community and honour her faith.

As we say farewell, we remember her not in silence, but in gratitude. Gratitude for the integrity she brought into public life, the courage she showed in leadership and the hope she inspired in those she served.

May her legacy endure in the institutions she strengthened, the enterprises she built and the lives she touched.

Odrek Rwabwogo is the chairman Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development