KAMPALA .
Former minister and literature teacher Mary Karooro Okurut has passed on , close family friends have confirmed.
She was aged 71.
The news of Karooro’s passing was broken by the current Minister of Primary Health Care, Margaret Muhanga who said ; “With so much pain, grief & 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.”
According to close family friends, the former Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister has not been well lately.
The deceased has been trying to get back into elective politics following her defeat in the Bushenyi District Women MP race in 2021.
Known by many as a great educator, author, Karooro served in many ministerial positions before she was defeated in NRM primaries by Annet Katusiime Mugisha.
She served as Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister from June 2016. Prior to that, from 1 March 2015 until 6 June 2016, she served as Cabinet Minister for National Security. Between 2012 and 2015, she served as the Minister of Gender and Social Issues.
Profile
She was born in Bushenyi District on 8 December 1954. She attended Bweranyangi Primary School and Bweranyangi Girls’ Senior Secondary School for her elementary and middle school education, in that order.
In 1972, at the age of 18, she entered Trinity College Nabbingo to carry out her high school education. In 1974, she entered Makerere University, graduating in 1977 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Literature (BA.Lit).
Three years later, in 1981, she graduated with the degree of Master of Arts in Literature (MA.Lit), also from Makerere University. In 1982, she added the Diploma in Education (Dip.Ed), from the same university.
Karooro began lecturing at Makerere, in the Department of Literature in 1981, as soon as she completed her master’s degree. She maintained her status as Lecturer, until 1993. She took up employment as the press secretary to the vice-president of Uganda from 1994 until 1996.
Between 1996 and 1999 she served as Commissioner, Education Service Commission in the Ugandan Ministry of Education. From 1999 until 2004, she served as the press secretary of the President of Uganda. In 2006 she entered elective Ugandan politics as MP