The Bishop of the Diocese of West Ankole, Rt Rev Johnson Twinomujuni, has joined the nation in mourning the passing of Mary Karooro Okurut, the former Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The news of her death was announced on Monday evening by her close friend, State Minister for Primary Healthcare, Margaret Muhanga, through her X (formerly Twitter) account. Her passing sent shockwaves through the political fraternity, the Bushenyi community, and the Diocese of West Ankole, where she served as a Lay Canon.
In his eulogy, Bishop Twinomujuni described Karooro as a woman whose life was “a tapestry woven with wisdom, courage, and service.”
“Karooro walked a path few dared to tread, yet she did so with grace and a deep sense of duty,” he said. “She was a scholar of literature, a teacher who shaped minds at Makerere University, and an author whose words breathed life into the stories of Uganda.”
He noted that through her pen and passion, Karooro co-founded FEMRITE, giving countless women writers a voice that resonated far beyond Uganda’s borders.
“Her service to Uganda spanned decades and touched every corner of public life – as Minister of Information, Minister of Gender, Minister of Security, and later Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister,” he said. “In each role, she carried the values she held dear: integrity, empathy, and an unwavering belief in the potential of her people.”
Bishop Twinomujuni described Karooro as more than a politician or author, calling her “a bridge between worlds – between policy and humanity, leadership and humility.”
“She stood for women, for education, for the dignity of every Ugandan. Though she has left us, her legacy remains – in the books she wrote, the women she mentored, the policies she shaped, and the countless lives she touched,” he added.
Bishop Twinomujuni said that Uganda has lost “a literary giant, a seasoned stateswoman, a Canon in the Church of Christ, and a trailblazer whose light will not be dimmed by her departure.”
“Rest well, Mama Karooro. Your race was well run. Your voice in politics, in literature, and in the hearts of your people will never be forgotten,” he said.
As a writer and poet, I HONOR HER WITH THIS POEM:
*Pages* *of* *Light*!
Like a candle on the altar, you burned so others might see.
Like a book of prayer, your life was filled with chapters – of wisdom, faith, and compassion.
You taught us that words can build nations,
and that service, in church or state,
is not a crown, but a cross to carry with love.
You reminded us that the measure of a life
is not its length, but its depth in service to God and neighbour.
Now you have returned to the Author of all life, may you find
your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
And though the page has turned,
your story, Mary Karooro, will shine in eternity’s light.
Rest in joy, you’ve lived as ‘pages of light’!
