West Ankole widows seek Museveni’s help after presidential advisor Karooro’s death

SHEEMA - Widows under Ruth Ministries Association in West Ankole Diocese have appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to support their skilling projects, which stalled following the death of their patron Mary Karooro Okurut.

Karooro was also a former presidential advisor on public relations.

The widows, gathered at Butsibo Church of Uganda, Sheema central division in Sheema municipality on Sunday, September 14, 2025, said the association formed in 2023 was started to empower them to uplift their families and improve household incomes.

The group, which now has over 200 members, has been engaged in crafts making, basket weaving, pottery and mats production.

According to Ruth Ministries vice-chairperson Grace Mwebaze, the members had been selling their products at Ntambiko Crafts Centre, which was owned by Karooro.

However, the centre closed after her passing, leaving the women without a market for their items.

“The late Karooro came here and launched our association. She promised to boost our work by providing markets for our products, but since her death, we have failed to earn. We kindly ask the President to give us an income boost so we can revive our businesses,” Mwebaze said.

Mary Mugisha, a widow from Butsibo Church, said many members are now struggling to provide for their children.

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“We don’t have enough land to feed our families. The late Karooro used to buy our crafts, but now we are left without support. If we can get the funding from the government, it would help us boost our project,” Mugisha appealed.

The parish priest of Butsibo Church of Uganda, Rev. Amon Tumusiime, said widows have often been neglected because they no longer fit in the Mothers’ Union after losing their husbands. He urged leaders in Greater Bushenyi to intervene.

“I call upon Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, Alhajj Hassan Basajjabalaba, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, and other leaders to help these widows reach out to the President for assistance,” Rev. Tumusiime said.

Another member, Monica Nyendwoha, said widows continue to face hardships despite government programs targeting vulnerable groups.

“Some of us cannot even afford meals for our children. The ministry that supports widows has limited resources, and many of our challenges remain unaddressed,” she said.

Ruth Ministries Association was initiated by the late Mary Karooro to unite widows facing difficulties after the loss of their husbands. Members say Karooro had promised to personally introduce them to the President to secure more support, a promise they now hope government leaders will help fulfil.

Karooro, who passed on August 10, 2025, at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya, following a road crash in Uganda, was remembered as a religious woman who often began her speeches with scripture and passionately championed women’s rights.