“Her humility carried more power than her authority”

Celebrating the Life and Works of Mary Karooro Okurut, Founder of FEMRITE – Uganda Women Writers Association

We gather in this digital space to pay tribute to a special figure in Uganda’s literary and cultural memory, Hon. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut. We appreciate everybody who spared their time to write a message for and about this honourable woman who transitioned on 11^th August 2025.

Hon. Karooro will not read these messages but we believe she will feel them, wherever she is. The African human spirit is alive. We appreciate Brittle Paper for supporting FEMRITE to co-publish this tribute. We needed these words to be in one space as encouragement to all of us who knew her but also as a space to visit, for anyone who might want to know about her beyond the now. The messages are arranged in alphabetical order of the contributors’ names.

Death is one most sure thing in life but there are people who we never think about to occupy the same space with death. Because they are very special to us in many ways, in our mind, they are almost eternal. That was Karooro. While we sat downcast at her vigil, a man waked in and sprawled next to her casket. He wailed like a child. He talked about how she had picked him from nothingness and given him hope in life. His was a symbolic wail, one representing all the wails the mourners were stifling.

It is almost two months since her passing. The gap she left is too deep, too wide. We lost a mentor, a mother, a friend. For her, neither age, status, nor class, defined her relationships. She gathered and embraced everybody who needed warmth. I was her student when I became her friend and she would seek me out like we were equals. She had a childlike nature that exuded pure love and warmth. Up-till her passing, I did not know how to address her. Calling her Mary felt disrespectful, calling her Mrs Okurut felt strange and calling her Hon. Karooro sounded like I was placing her distant.

Mary was born on 12^th July 1954. I met her in 1992, when I joined university, studying Literature in English. She was teaching the Drama course unit and I was very excited to be part of her class in my second year. Students we found at University were all talking about her. She used to write plays and it was prestigious to be part of her casts. The Trial of Thomas Sankara was one such play. With all this, she still carried herself with so much grace. I still see her cross the Arts Faculty quadrangle, where we used to spy on our lectures comings and goings, as we sat in Lecture room 401. I was hooked for life and I stayed under her mentorship as her student, as a member of FEMRITE and later as a member of FEMRITE staff.

While teaching at Makerere, Mary associated with other visionary women in the country. She was a member of Action for Development (ACFODE), where she participated in mobilising women for national politics and governance. It was a critical time for the women’s movement in the country and the region. From the Literature class, I joined ACFODE while the likes of Winnie Munyarugyerero and Margaret Ntakalimaze joined FEMRITE from ACFODE. We served the two sister organisations without any trouble because Mary created bridges and not walls.

Before Mary left University employment in 1993, she would talk about the need to get women to write because she recognised the gender gap in Ugandan and African literature. That is what gave birth to the idea of forming a women writers association. As literature students, we were privy to this information right from the onset. When she left university, she kept pushing her idea and she had already formed a team that used to hold consultative meetings in the office she had shared with Mwalimu Austin Bukenya. Her colleagues in the department: Mwalimu Austin Bukenya, Prof. Okello Ogwang, Dr Okot Benge, Mr Kwitonda, Prof. Abasi Kiyimba, Prof. Wangusa, Ms Jane Alowo, supported her and participated in the formative years of mobilisation. In February 1996, she registered FEMRITE as a Non-Governmental organisation. Whenever we showered her praises as founder of FEMRITE, she would say; “It is about you girls! You keep the candle burning.” She did not hesitate putting others on a pedestal to shine. This year FEMRITE makes 30 years, standing on her shoulders.

After Makerere, she served the Government of Uganda under different portfolios including key ministerial positions, but she still answered our phone calls. When I joined FEMRITE as staff member, she literally held my hand through so many situations and many offices. She sat with me and encouraged me, always seeking ways of supporting me in my role as team leader at FEMRITE. One time she was away and I needed her signature as a founding member of the organisation. She said to me, “When I return, I will teach you how to sign my signature.” Where do you get that level of pure trust? In Uganda, you can look for someone’s signature for a year! Mary, did not only offer us just her signature, she offered us herself and was always available to stand in the gap. For instance, for any literary event in the city, if a Chief Guest got busy and failed to show up last minute, all Mary said was, “Give me a few minutes and I will be there!” She was the Industry in-house Chief Guest. One time she was very unwell but she still came to grace the Abdulrazak Gurnah Conference and she joked about it saying, “I need to leave now because if that pain found me here, you would all run away.”

Mary would answer calls of people she did not know. Then she would call me and say, somebody is coming over to see you. When I would ask who they were, she would say; “I do not know them but they called and they wanted to know about writing. I have invited them to FEMRITE.” Her position never stood between her and other human beings. She was a person who would enter through a door and hold it ajar, so that many others could come in after her.

It was an honour when my first short story ‘Becoming a Woman’ came out in one of the inaugural FEMRITE Publications – A Woman’s Voice (1998), edited by Mary. But Mary’s humility was disarming. Sometimes she would write a presentation or speech and ask me to read through and give her feedback. I would wonder; how can I, assess my mentor? But that was a life lesson I learned from her; no one is above learning, and everybody has what to offer, if we offer them opportunity.  

Under her mentorship, a strong writing sisterhood was born. After the inaugural publications in 1998, an article run in one of the daily’s, which intimated that the organisation would not maintain momentum. But Mary was steadfast. She had built a strong team of staff: Goretti Kyomuhendo at the helm, Bonnie Kiconco, Violet Barungi,  and other volunteers. There were different membership committees as well. The team took the organisation from strength to strength. Members begun to win several writing prizes in Uganda and beyond. Mary understood the power of stories and worked to enable everybody the opportunity to tell their stories, to get their voices heard.

I am not sure who started the nickname Mother Hen but it came from the way she hatched FEMRITE, the way she spoke to us, treated us, sought opportunities for us, and sheltered us. She was like a Mother Hen and us, her chicks. And so, she became our Mother Hen. She took us under her care like she had known us all her life. We immediately recognized the safe space she was curving out for us and so we teamed up with her to move FEMRITE forward. Since then, Mary has occupied a central space on Uganda’s literary sector as a pillar of women writing in Uganda and beyond. Later when we started regional activities, Mary was appreciated the African sisterhood we are creating and as such, attended most of of the regional activities the organisation hosted. It was no wonder that in 2023, Mary was awarded a National Medal for her contribution to Uganda’s Cultural memory and women emancipation through literary arts.

We mourn our dear friend because despite her political career, she kept close ties with the organization she founded and always checked in to ensure all was well, both with members and the organisation. She always pushed for the centring of Ugandan and African women writers works. She always lobbied the National Curriculum Development Centre and other policy-makers regarding the place of women literature in shaping a positive narrative of the nation.

We commiserate with her dear family and appreciate their role in supporting her to be the best version of herself. This is what enabled her to give and give, and never run empty. Like her name Busingye, she was a peacemaker. When the Speaker of Parliament was giving his eulogy, he elaborated how she served Uganda, and how she was always the most peaceful in any room. It was no wonder that she headed the most sensitive ministries such as the Ministry of National Security. And not many politicians are accorded State Funeral. Hon Karooro deserved it and she got it.

Although she will be dearly missed, her legacy will remain etched in our minds for all that we became because she was. Her legacy will remain engraved on Uganda and Africa’s literary culture, through the numerous writing projects she accomplished as a novelist, playwright, short story writer, newspaper columnist and sometimes as an editor.

Mary gifted the world with the following published works – The Curse of the Sacred Cow (1994), The Adventurous Sisters (1997), The Invisible Weevil (1998), Child of a Delegate (1993), Milking a Lioness (1998), The Man who Ate His Eye (2002), The Blood Brothers (2002), The Official Wife (2003), Potiphar’s Grand Daughter (2013), and The Switch (2016). Kahigi the Great Hunter (2005), and one non-fiction book; Uganda’s Match to Industrialization 1986-2026 (2019).

We celebrate her life, we celebrate her creativity, her pure spirit, her friendship, and pledge to keep the writing candle burning as she always wished, till our own time comes.

We appreciate every person who has contributed to keeping the FEMRITE candle burning since the 1990s to-date.

May Mother Hen’s soul rest in eternal peace.

Hilda J. Twongyeirwe, Current ED, Founding Member FEMRITE and Chairperson Board of Director – Action for Development

Beatrice Akite, Member, FEMRITE

The strong memory I have of Mary Karooro Okurut was at the launch of her book; The Switch. I listened to her inspiration and passion for storytelling and I was wooed. I followed her trail into parliament, and theatre, to her dedication towards FEMRITE, Uganda Women Writers Association, a baby she gave birth to. I got to know of her name, Mother Hen, among the members of FEMRITE and I decided I wanted to join the chicks.

After that, I started to read her books and I fell in love with her and her writing especially The Invisible Weevil (1998). With a focus on women in war, I connected with the text and moved on to explore the roles women play in war that are often relegated to the periphery. My realization of the active participation of women in war enriched my understanding of post-colonial violence and cruelty brought about by war currents. I delved further to explore the roles of women in hostile environments.

Although these were fictional recounts of war, it drew me to the appreciation of the roles played by both women and men in war and in the society in general. Mary Karooro Okurut, was a very simple and humble soul, an inspiration to many; men, women, and children in our society. Mother Hen, your legacy leaves on.

Harlod Ankwasa, Student at Makerere University

Mary Karooro Okurut had a great vision of the literary spaces of Uganda. She dared to dream and put at the forefront those marginalised voices of women to the world with the birth of FEMRITE. This game changer didn’t only help Ugandan women writers to come into the open and compete with the men, it revamped a literature that was at the blink of dying out and never to be recognized. She indeed dared to dream a dream so sublime and also went a step further to live the dream.

FEMRITE has now produced more iconic writers in Ugandan Literature than any other space/organisation I know of. I For One I’m a proud product of her dream, a product of the large, ever growing fraternity at FEMRITE. It is not just a space for women writers, but also a safe haven for male and female writers to meet and improve their craft. This has greatly improved Ugandan literature with various regional and international awards won by FEMRITE members and associates. Recently I emerged a regional winner of UNESCO’s Safer Campuses Competition of Arts for East and South African countries. It is with Mary Karooro’s dream of the 90s that helped me grow my craft and contribute to Ugandan literature. Mary Karooro has been a juggernaut in Ugandan literature and she will forever remain at the forefront of this great industry of the story tellers.

Allen Asiimwe, Leadership Development Professional | Advocate for Gender Equity | Aspiring Leadership Coach

A Tribute to Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut: Lessons in Leadership from a Trailblazer. As a young woman navigating my own path, I find myself deeply inspired by the leadership journey of Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, a woman who not only walked the corridors of power but also carried with her the grace, courage, and conviction that redefine what it means to lead.

From her early career as a teacher, writer, and communicator, to her later roles in government and public service, Hon. Karooro consistently showed us that leadership is not about titles, it is about service. Her story is proof that women can lead with strength while still embodying empathy that resilience can coexist with humility, and that one can wield influence without ever losing touch with humanity. As a young woman, three lessons stand out from her journey:

The Power of Voice

Hon. Karooro used her voice not only to articulate ideas but also to create space for others to be heard. Through literature, advocacy, and politics, she reminded us that silence is not an option when change is needed. She taught us that when women speak, they do not just speak for themselves; they give voice to countless others who may never find a platform.

Leadership Rooted in Service

Her career has been marked by an unwavering commitment to serve. Whether championing education, women’s empowerment, or national development, she consistently put community above self. For me, this is a reminder that leadership is less about personal ambition and more about the impact we leave on the lives of others.

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

At a time when women leaders were few, she stepped forward, not just breaking barriers for herself but building bridges for those who would come after her. Her courage in navigating male-dominated spaces challenges me to step boldly into rooms where my presence may not always be expected but is always necessary.

Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut’s legacy is not only what she achieved, but also what she made possible for women like me. She has shown us that true leadership is not about perfection, but about persistence, purpose, and the courage to keep going even when the odds seem insurmountable.

As I reflect on her journey, I am filled with gratitude for the doors she opened, for the example she set, and for the inspiration she continues to offer. Hers is a life that whispers to every young woman: Your voice matters. Your dreams are valid. Your leadership is needed.

May we continue to learn from her example, honor her legacy, and carry forward the torch she has passed on to us.

Jacqueline Asiimwe, CEO, CivSource Africa

Mary Karooro was a Voice That Endures, a Legacy That Lives.  

When I was a young woman, fresh from Makerere University, there were hardly any mentorship programs, no handbooks to guide a girl like me. So, I turned to the quiet school of observation, studying the women who walked ahead, women whose twists and turns I longed to emulate.

Among them stood Mary Karooro Okurut. I first met her not in person, but through the pages of a newspaper column. Her wit was sharp, her humour disarming, her words always struck the mark, pregnant with meaning, yet clothed in grace.

When I finally met her, I found her warmth matched her wisdom. And when she birthed FEMRITE, I knew she had gifted us a revolution. She declared that women’s stories matter, that our voices could not be silenced. Because of her, our words took root, and that tree still bears fruit today.

As an advocate for women’s rights, I found a kindred spirit in Mary. She taught us that voice is power, that to speak is to exist, and to write is to endure.

I also admired her courage in politics. She challenged the stereotype of what women are always told: that they do not belong to where they are born, and that they are foreigners where they are married. She triumphed, carving a seat at the table with her own resilience. Through her, I learned that being political does not always mean sitting in Parliament. I chose another path—activism—but it was Mary’s grit that sharpened my vision.

Even in leadership, as Minister, she remained accessible, a friend to the women’s movement. I remember visiting her after she lost her husband—we wept with her, because she had always stood with us.

Mary was a woman of open doors. If a passage was blocked, she would find the key. She gave generously— her time, her resources, her smile. That smile, oh that smile, could brighten a gathering and soften a burden.

Mary, you will be dearly missed. But I imagine you now, radiant in eternity, still smiling, still opening doors for us, still making connections beyond the veil. Because that is who you are, and that is how you will always be remembered.

Rest well, dear trailblazer.

Your voice, 

Your legacy,

Your light 

Will never be extinguished.

Narcicio Bangirana, Lions Club of Kampala Central

Mary Karooro, was an incredibly compassionate parent. She knew no limits in offering herself to support another person. No mountain was too high for her to climb, however steep or slippery, and no pit was too deep for her to descend, when it came to supporting, inspiring, or getting a person out of a difficult situation. She was simply incredible!

Her heart was too big for anyone to embrace, her compassion too high for anyone to scale with their eyes when they stood on the ground. The gate to her heart was ever open for anyone who needed her support or cared to seek guidance, moral or social. It was open to the young, to the old, to the elite, and to the illiterate, to the poor and to the rich, to the tall and to the short. Compassion was her identity.

She fed the hungry and clothed the naked. She mothered individuals, she mothered families, and she mothered whole communities. The wails from the men and yells from the women in her community when her passing was announced, and when her body touched the ground in her home, was clear testimony that their provider had departed. She was a unique mother, modelled in compassion. The name of the Lord be glorified for her life. Rest in Glory, Mary Karooro.

Violet Barungi, Writer and member of FEMRITE

When I was asked to write a eulogy to Mary Karooro Okurut, I asked to myself, which Mary should I write about? Mary the generous, good-hearted promoter of literary writers like myself who I met in the ’90s or Mary the social philanthropist I heard and read about in the newspapers? Then there was Mary, the politician…um! Eventually, I decided to write about the Mary I knew; the promoter of literary writers, like myself.

Mary was a literary giant, whose works included novels like The Invisible Weevil, which I had the honour to co-edit, The Official Wife, Child of a Delegate, and many others that included plays and short stories that were not only instructive but a delight to read.

Mary achieved a lot in her life as an educator, social worker and a politician but in my opinion, her greatest achievement was the founding of FEMRITE – Uganda Women Writers Association, thirty years ago. It was through this organisation that I and many other female writers were recognized, published, with some even winning national and international recognition.

Mary left us to be with the Lord on the 11th August 2025 and while I wish her eternal rest, I cannot help but feel that Uganda and the world are the poorer for it!

Rest in everlasting peace, Mary!

Charles Batambuze, Executive Secretary, National Book Trust of Uganda & URRO

Uganda’s literary skies are dimmer, for we  lost one of our brightest lights, a guardian angel for writers, a midwife of stories, and a fierce believer in the power of words.

I will always remember her signature kitenge dresses, not merely a fashion choice, but a vibrant declaration of her inner spirit and her commitment to African storytelling. She wore her identity as proudly as she championed our voices.

Through her regular column in the New Vision newspaper, she reached Uganda’s intellectual circles with courage and grace, provoking thought, inviting debate, and giving readers permission to either frown or praise. She was fearless in her opinions, yet generous in spirit.

On 30 January 2020, just weeks before the world shut down for COVID-19, Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut graced the Uganda International Book Fair at Constitution Square as our Chief Guest. It was one of the many occasions she stood in the gap for books, literature, and the dreamers behind them.

My first real exchange with her was many years ago. She had presented a paper on protecting folklore from a creative writer’s perspective. I argued that writers who use folklore should share proceeds with the communities that own it. She disagreed, gently but firmly, pointing out the creative labour and sweat of the writer. It was one of those moments you realise you are in the company of a mind that both challenges and enriches you.

Her reputation preceded her and she lived up to it. She became one of Uganda’s most prolific authors, her works filling shelves from Kampala to the furthest corners of our country. Fountain Publishers remained her faithful publishing home, ensuring her voice reached generations.

Perhaps her most enduring legacy is the Uganda Women Writers Association, FEMRITE, which she founded as a safe and nurturing space for women’s stories to be born and thrive. FEMRITE became a cradle of voices that would rise to win awards, travel the world, and inspire countless others. To the girls she mentored, she was a Mother Hen. To us at the National Book Trust of Uganda (NABOTU) and the Uganda Reproduction Rights Organisation (URRO), she was the visionary behind one of our most cherished and dependable member organisations, a beacon for discovering and nurturing new talent. We also recognise with gratitude Goretti Kyomuhendo, the founding Director of FEMRITE, and Hilda Twongyeirwe, the current Director, for faithfully carrying forward her vision and ensuring that FEMRITE remains a living testament to the founder’s dream.

We will miss you deeply, Mary. You lived as a custodian of stories, a believer in the written word, and a champion of the storyteller’s place in our culture.

Rest in power, dear friend. Your words live on. 

Jackee Budesta Batanda, Success Spark Ltd

Godspeed, Mother Hen.

When news of Mary Karooro Okurut’s passing filtered through I was utterly gob smacked. This season has been merciless – death after death circling me like vultures. I honestly wasn’t ready for another goodbye. Yet here I was, swept down memory lane to those golden early days at the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE) in the early 2000s, where I first encountered this remarkable woman who would become our literary Mother Hen.

Mrs. Okurut was already a towering figure then – a respected Daily Monitor columnist, FEMRITE’s visionary founder, and our guiding chairperson. But what struck me most wasn’t her accolades; it was her generosity of spirit. She could have sat comfortably in her success, basking in well-deserved recognition. Instead, she looked around and saw what was missing: women’s voices, silenced by a lack of opportunity and platform.

It didn’t sit right with her to celebrate alone.

In the mid-1990s, she gathered a circle of women writers and journalists around a simple but revolutionary idea: create a space where women’s stories could breathe, grow, and find their wings. From that seed grew FEMRITE – a literary sanctuary that would launch countless Ugandan women into the spotlight they deserved.

By September 2000, when I nervously walked into FEMRITE’s permanent office on Plot 147 Kira Road (where it still stands today, a testament to her vision), the space was alive with possibility. Established writers mingled with dreamers like myself, all of us learning to use computers, devouring literary treasures, and discovering our voices. It was there, in that nurturing cocoon she had created, that I wrote my first article in 2001: “Send My Regards to the President” –  an op-ed born from our collective anxiety after the 2001 elections that had us all stockpiling food supplies, just in case war broke out. That piece became my gateway into national journalism. But Mother Hen’s kindness extended far beyond professional mentorship.

Living just a few houses apart on Semawata, she became my guardian angel in the most practical ways. When I called seeking a reference for my first passport application – those were the days when the Ministry of Internal Affairs struck fear in our hearts and getting documents meant navigating a maze of bureaucracy – she didn’t just offer to be my reference. She took my papers, handed them to her PA, and spared me the entire ordeal.

With just one published article and a single short story in FEMRITE’s anthology “Words from a Granary,” I boldly declared “Writer” as my profession on that passport application. It was an act of faith she’d inspired, a title I’ve carried proudly across the globe ever since.

But perhaps the greatest gift she gave me was validation when I needed it most. She invited me to co-author an article with her – imagine that! A literary giant extending her hand to lift a 21-year-old fledgling writer. We wrote on why married women kept their maiden names, earning a coveted three-quarter page spread. For someone just starting her writing journey, this wasn’t just collaboration—it was elevation, pure and simple.

Years later, our paths crossed again in different roles. By then, I had left full-time writing for development work, and she had become Cabinet Minister in Charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. When I reached out needing her signature on an MOU she had missed signing at the official ceremony, her response was vintage Mother Hen: she still had my number saved, graciously made time for me, and genuinely celebrated the work I was now doing. She let me shine, helping me secure all necessary signatures in record time.

But the most profound lesson she leaves with me transcends any single act of kindness: stay grounded, lift others up, and create a legacy that outlives you. She embodied this philosophy through FEMRITE, nurturing spaces where budding writers like myself could discover our power and purpose.

Mother Hen understood something beautiful and rare: true success isn’t measured by personal achievement alone, but by how many others you help reach their own summits. She planted a forest where she could have grown a single tree.

As I bid farewell to this extraordinary woman who shaped not just my career but my understanding of mentorship and legacy, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude. She didn’t just open doors – she built entire hallways lined with opportunities for those who came after her.

Godspeed, Mother Hen. Your wings may have carried you home, but the writers you nurtured will keep soaring, carrying your spirit with us always.

Mary Karooro Okurut’s legacy lives on through every woman writer who found her voice in the spaces she created, every story that found its audience through platforms she built, and every act of literary mentorship inspired by her example.

Henry Bongyeirwe, Development Worker 

Mary Karooro Okurut stands out as one of Uganda’s most accomplished women, blending academia, literature, and public service with remarkable grades. 

As an academician at Makerere University, she nurtured young minds with wisdom and inspired many to pursue knowledge with passion and integrity. 

Beyond the classroom, she established herself as a powerful voice in literature, with works that not only entertained but also explained the complexities of Ugandan society, culture, and identity from a female perspective. Her legacy as a writer continues to open doors for women in education, literature, and leadership, making her a true pillar of inspiration for generations to come.

Rest well, Mother Hen.

Austin Bukenya, Writer and Poet, member of FEMRITE

Mother Hen and the empowerment of East African women (First published in the Nation)

A state funeral just went on in the Bushenyi District of Western Uganda. It was not for a military officer or a veteran of Museveni’s Bush War. Rather, it was for a teacher and an accomplished storyteller that most of us close to her referred to simply as “Mother Hen”. To draw an early conclusion, telling stories, and living them to the full, matters.

Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut, the fallen hero who was accorded the state honours, was my student in Literature at Makerere in the mid-1970s. These were the years when the Idi Amin terror was at its worst. 

This was the time when Kenyan student Esther Chesire was abducted and “disappeared” between the campus and Entebbe Airport.

 Kenya demanded an enquiry into the incident but it only led to the abduction and grisly murder of the warden of Esther Chesire’s hostel, my lineage relative, Nanziri Mukasa Bukenya. That is when Kenya ordered an evacuation of Kenyan students, including my friend and favourite scholar, the late Wanjiku Matenjwa, to Nairobi (UoN).

Okurut, née Karooro, and her fellow Ugandan students stayed on at Makerere, but things were not getting any better. Indeed, looking at Okurut’s graduation record in 1977, I realise that she was probably one of those whose final examination papers I marked as I was on the run between Kampala, Tororo and Malaba, plotting my own escape from Amin earlier that year.

I did not leave any students’ scripts or marks in the “fork of a tree”, as my then Head of Department, the late Prof David Cook, is reported to have narrated. In any case, Mary Okurut and her colleagues duly graduated. She had done so well that the Department retained her as a tutorial fellow and allowed her to take her Master of Arts degree there. On completion, she became a full-fledged member of staff along the famous “Corridor”.

That is how it was that when I was taking my first tentative steps back to Makerere, in the mid-1990s, Mary Karooro Okurut was among the first friends and colleagues to welcome me. We, indeed, ended up sharing a study/office. It was one of those gargantuan rooms designed by Makerere’s early building units as office, library and tutorial room, all in one.

It was, indeed, in that room that I witnessed Mary Karooro Okurut’s birth of what is arguably her greatest legacy to East African creativity and African feminism. This is what is known today as FEMRITE, the Uganda Women Writers Association. Mary Okurut, or “MO” as we called her in the time-hallowed tradition of coding staff by their initials, had already started writing and publishing.

Her best work at the time was The Curse of the Sacred Cow, an orature-inspired drama based on a popular legend. But looking back at that work, from the perspective of what has transpired since those twilight years of the 20th century, I am inclined to think that Okurut was signalling a strongly revolutionary development. The play rotates around a rebellious woman who flagrantly rejects the irrational impositions of her husband.

The play is, I think, a gesture of putting the patriarchy on notice. From now on, it appears, there will no longer be any “sacred cows” of sexist and gender-based discrimination, prohibition and limitation against the woman.

One of the “idols” of the Ugandan patriarchy of those times was the assumption of the male-dominated publishing houses that women could not produce “serious” literature. According to most of the male publishers of those days, women’s writing was “sentimental gossip”, not worthy of serious consideration. This was in spite of the emergence of brilliant female East African voices at Makerere, like Rebecca Njau, Grace Ogot, Barbara Kimenye and Elvania Zirimu.

Mary Karooro Okurut’s own struggle, and that of her younger colleagues, to get into print made her realize the need for drastic action to remedy the situation. She decided to set up a women’s group that would not only encourage women writers to produce quality writings but also handle the whole book production and publishing process of deserving works. That was how FEMRITE was born.

I watched with keen interest as Mary Karooro Okurut’s cohort of supporters, many of them her past and then-current students, kept streaming in and out of our study to discuss their plans for the new outfit. “MO” kindly let me sit in on many of the discussions and even invited me to contribute where I wished.

I eagerly seized the opportunity, grateful for the respect and trust from my former student. More importantly, I was a budding “feminist”. My sisters at the Kenya FEMNET and, especially at the Kenya Oral Literature Association (KOLA), had inducted me into the feminist struggle and trained me in its basic strategies and tactics.

That is how I ended up becoming an honorary founding member of FEMRITE, and one of the “chicks” of “Mother Hen”. Okurut left Makerere soon after the launch of FEMRITE, to pursue a brilliant political career. But even as she served in Parliament and at various key ministries, her care for her chicks never lagged.

FEMRITE is today an international brand, associated with worldwide literary performers and winners, like Jennifer Makumbi, Monica Arach de Nyeko, (Harriet) Ber Anena, Prof Susan Kiguli and the dazzling Goretti Kyomuhendo, founder of the African Writers Trust.

For us, Mother Hen is a hero who deserves all the honours being accorded her.

Gyenda gye (go well), Mother Hen!

Gloria Bwandungi Mugarura, Writer

She Scattered Light

A tribute essay from someone who travelled the landscapes her stories built.

I never shook her hand or sat across a table from her. My knowing came from afar, from glowing screens and the quiet hum of digital spaces. Yet Mary Karooro Okurut always felt near, a constellation that hovers above your roof, close enough to guide you, but distant to touch.

Mary walked in two realities in one, she lectured at Makerere, founded FEMRITE, sat in Parliament, and carried the weight of ministerial offices. In the other, she walked as a keeper of portals. She cracked open silence and ushered women into rooms where their words could stand upright. She planted thresholds in our imaginations and invited us to step through into the unknown.

Her novels glowed with that same force. The Invisible Weevil is no ordinary story. It strips the veneer from a nation and shows the termites chewing through its foundations. Readers feel the ground give way beneath them, understanding that rot has already spread through the beams of society. The Official Wife is even sharper. It turns family into a hall of mirrors where every reflection fractures, multiplies, and demands confrontation. You read it and discover not only the characters but also your own face, split and unsettled, refusing to stay whole.

Her anthologies carried the voices of women like flares in the dark. Each story was a lantern. Each voice was a spell that pushed back against the long shadow of silence. In gathering them, she built a citadel of sound, a fortress of words that still stands above Kampala, visible only to those who know how to look.

Mary’s work in politics and government also took on the quality of world-building. She did not simply hold offices. She shaped them into terrains where imagination and authority met. She turned the act of policy into a kind of spell work, flawed at times, but never without intent. She tried to pull new structures into being the way a writer pulls a story out of nothing.

For me, watching her from the distance of a screen, she became more than a leader. She became an archetype, reminding me of the ancient figures who guard thresholds between worlds. She had the bearing of a woman who knew where the doors were, and who held the keys.

When the news came that she had died, the language of the announcement felt too small. A date, a location, a list of titles. That was not her story. In my register she transitioned. She crossed into the realm where our ancestors hold libraries instead of thrones. In those libraries the heavenly shelves hold humanity’s stories, and stretch without end. I imagine her walking among them now, her hand resting on the spines, her voice low as she speaks to the next generation of storytellers, unseen but still heard.

Mary Karooro Okurut shaped me though we never met. She shaped many. She carved paths for women to walk with steadier feet. She opened doors that remain open. She wrote books that continue to whisper truths no termite can consume.

I write this not to mourn but to mark her transition from this mortal coil. Guardians do not vanish. They ascend. They have scattered light and leave the rest of us to follow.

Rest well, Mary.

Dr. Bwesigye bwa Mwesigire, Writer, Lawyer, Co-Founder Centre for African Cultural Excellence    

My earliest memory of Karooro Okurut goes to my childhood. My mother went to study for a Diploma in (Primary) Education at the National Teachers’ College, Kakoba (at the time) in the mid-1990s. She’d travel to Mbarara where the college (it has since become Bishop Stuart University) was, during the holidays for in-person sessions. Her stories on return would be mesmerizing although I didn’t completely comprehend the details of everything. I enjoyed listening and eavesdropping on her as she did her work. She majored in English and Music, Dance and Drama. She read novels, plays, “prose and poetry” as part of her training, and even made a collection of rhymes and lullabies I believe for her Oral Tradition class. She’d sing at home, play the recorder (I used to call it the “European” flute), even bought and played a keyboard. In her conversations with her best friend, colleague and neighbour, Teacher Molly Zooreka, my mother would talk about the Kakoba experience and I believe this is how I heard the name Karooro, for the first time. In Nyanja. 

I grew up and left Nyanja. I went to Makerere to study law in the mid-2000s. At this point of my life, I knew enough about Karooro Okurut. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut had already become a full-blown politician at this point. Born in Bushenyi to a primary school head teacher and later sub county chief, Karooro-Okurut studied at Bweranyangi Junior and Trinity College Nabbingo before joining Makerere University for a BA in Literature, which followed up quickly with an MA in the same subject under the steady hand of the late Prof. Margaret Macpherson. Karooro-Okurut stayed at Makerere to teach in the department of Literature. It was there, that she famously founded the Uganda Association of Women Writers (FEMRITE). 

She vied for a Constituent Assembly seat in 1994 and wasn’t successful. She left teaching at the university to join the press office of the Ugandan presidency working as press secretary for the vice president, Dr. Samson Kisekka and later as the president’s press secretary then as education service commissioner. She wrote a column in the majority government owned New Vision to largely speak for the government. Her chance at electoral victory came in 2004 when she beat Maclean Kyamutetera, Sarah Bireete, and Harriet Mushega to replace Bernadette Bigirwa as Bushenyi Woman MP. She’d get re-elected in 2006, 2011, and 2016, losing and retiring from electoral politics in the 2021 season. 

I first saw Karooro-Okurut in person around 2008. There was a “public dialogue” as we called events where politicians, activists and academics would speak on a panel about a topical issue, in the Senate Building, Level 4 conference room at Makerere. One exchange during that dialogue stuck to my memory. Rt. Hon. Tayebwa Thomas (Uganda’s deputy speaker of Parliament today), then an FDC youth winger speaking from the floor taunted Karooro-Okurut by referring to the NRM party-symbol of the raised thumb as “kuha mutinzi” (mocking others – or giving a thumbs down). She fired back by labelling the FDC party sign of two raised fingers as an oath to always coming second. The audience burst out in cheers during this humorous exchange. When I saw my mother, I asked her if Karooro-Okurut was connected to the Karooro of her Kakoba days. She told me that they’re siblings. The Karooro of NTC Kakoba is Emmanuel, presently vice chancellor at Ibanda University. 

I’d later pay more attention to Karooro-Okurut’s literary work after my college education. FEMRITE, the organization and association she founded, where she was affectionately known as “Mother Hen” was a nurturing and welcoming home for aspiring writers like myself. Hilda Twongyeirwe, the FEMRITE coordinator from whom I first heard the phrase “literary activist”, has for all intents and purposes (taking after Karooro-Okurut) been my personal and organizational mentor in the work I continue to do with the Writivism literary initiative. Hilda was the path to my seeing Karooro-Okurut in-person for a second and last time. 

This time, I can say I met Karooro-Okurut, not just saw. She was launching _Potiphar’s Granddaughter_ at the Kampala club. I was sad to come after the speeches and launch programming, went to apologize to Hilda for having been caught up but was instead taken to be introduced to Hon. Karooro-Okurut. She was unassuming in person. She listened intently. She was encouraging and persuasive. Her name Busingye is derived from the Runyankore noun “obusingye” which means peace. That’s what you felt in Karooro-Okurut’s presence. She was a minister at the point we met, but you’d not feel the trappings of power around her. Her column could viciously attack opponents and critics of the government so much that if you only knew her from that, you’d be shocked by how personable she was. 

A few years after meeting her, I’d write in an essay on _African Arguments_ that Karooro-Okurut was perhaps the last of a breed of literary-leaders, creative writers who are also politicians. I observed that the political influence literary figures exercised in the twentieth century, had shifted to comedians and musicians. Two months after the publication of that essay, Bobi Wine (alias Robert Kyagulanyi) announced that he’d vie to fill a parliamentary vacancy after results from a previous election were annulled by court. Like Karooro-Okurut, Bobi Wine’s entry to electoral success was by way of a bye-election. A final full-stop was put on Karooro-Okurut’s electoral political life in 2021, the year Bobi Wine vied for the presidency for a first time. One life has ended, the story of another political life is still unfolding. 

Dr. Julius Byaruhanga, Director, Policy and Advocacy, Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU)

It is with a heavy heart and profound sorrow that I pen this tribute on behalf of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU). As we mark one month since your untimely passing on August 11, 2025, at the age of 71, the nation reflects on the extraordinary life of a woman whose intellect, passion, and unwavering commitment to Uganda’s progress have left an indelible mark. You were not just a trailblazer in literature, politics, and public service; you were a fierce advocate whose voice amplified the aspirations of the private sector and championed the welfare of the girl child with unmatched fervour.

Your legacy, woven through the power of your words and the depth of your actions, continues to inspire us all. Born July 12, 1954, in Bushenyi District, you embodied the resilience and spirit of Ankole daughters. From your early education at Bweranyangi Girls School and Trinity College Nabbingo to your Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Literature in 1977 and 1981, respectively, your journey was one of relentless pursuit of knowledge. As a lecturer in Makerere Department of Literature from 1981 to 1993, you ignited minds and fostered a love for storytelling that would define much of your life & work.

But, it was your transition into public service, that showcased your ability to bridge words and action, policy and people. Elected as Woman Member of Parliament for Bushenyi District in 2004, you served with distinction until 2021, holding key cabinet portfolios including Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Minister of Information and National Guidance, Minister of Security, and Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. Even in your final role as Senior Presidential Advisor on Public Relations, your influence extended far beyond titles, touching the very fabric of Uganda’s economic and social development. Your enormous contributions to private sector growth in Uganda stand as a testament to your visionary leadership and advocacy prowess and this is probably when your vision for a Pads Factory started to form.

At PSFU, we have long recognized the private sector as the engine of economic transformation, driving innovation, job creation, and inclusive growth under Uganda’s Vision 2040. You understood this intimately, particularly during your tenure as Minister for General Duties and Chairperson of the National COVID-19 Task Force. In the face of the pandemics devastating impact, you rallied over 300 private sector players—domestic and foreign investors alike—to donate resources, including vehicles, medical supplies, and financial support, mobilizing billions of shillings to bolster the fight against the virus. This was no mere coordination; it was a masterclass in public-private partnership, ensuring that businesses not only survived but emerged stronger, contributing to economic recovery and resilience. Your role in chairing the task force highlighted your ability to foster collaboration between government and the private sector, a principle that PSFU has championed since it’s founding in 1995.

Through your advocacy in writing, you elevated these efforts to a national discourse. As a celebrated author and columnist for New Vision, your pen was a powerful tool for policy influence. Books like The Invisible Weevil (1998) and The Official Wife (2000), along with your edited anthology A Woman’s Voice (1998), explored themes of social justice, economic empowerment, and cultural identity that resonated deeply with social enterprise, entrepreneurs and policymakers.

Your seminal work, Uganda’s March to Industrialisation 1986–2040, launched by President Museveni himself, provided a roadmap for private sector-led industrialization, emphasizing value addition, innovation, and sustainable growth—core pillars of PSFU advocacy. In your columns and speeches, you passionately argued for policies that reduced barriers to business, promoted skills training, and integrated women into economic value chains.

As a member of the Board of Trustees at Valley University of Science and Technology in Bushenyi, you advocated for curricula that equipped youth with entrepreneurial skills, directly supporting the private sector’s need for a skilled workforce.

Your efforts helped galvanize investments in agro-industrialization, tourism, and manufacturing, sectors that PSFU continues to prioritize in our strategy. Your advocacy was not abstract as demonstrated by the Ntambiko Crafts centre; it translated into tangible growth, creating opportunities for MSMEs that form 90% of Uganda’s private enterprises and employ millions. We at PSFU owe you a debt of gratitude for championing a business-friendly environment that aligns with our mission of policy dialogue and capacity building.

Equally profound was your passion for the welfare of the girl child in Uganda—a cause that burned brightly throughout your life and intertwined seamlessly with private sector development. We are indebted to you for your Pads Factory, which will directly benefit women and girls. We pray that the Government of Uganda supports the completion to production level.

As the founder of the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE) in 1995, you created a platform that empowered countless girls and women to find their voices through literature, mentoring talents like Monica Arach de Nyeko, the 2007 Caine Prize winner and many other winners thereafter. FEMRITE’s international acclaim was a direct result of your vision to nurture female authors, fostering skills that translate into economic independence and leadership in the private sector.

In your role as Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, you fiercely advocated for women’s rights, including education, health, and protection from violence. Your emotional response to the tragic rape and murder of nine-year-old Nisha Nambi in 2021, where you called for severe penalties against child abusers, underscored your unyielding commitment to safeguarding the girl child. You pushed for policies on reproductive health, skills training, and economic empowerment, recognizing that investing in girls is key to fuelling private sector innovation, breaking cycles of poverty, and contributing to Uganda’s GDP. You aimed at transforming lives and contributing to a more inclusive economy. You modelled the very welfare you advocated for, balancing family as a mother of many, being a devoted wife until Hon. Okurut’s passing in 2014, serving as a Canon in the Church of Uganda, and delivering your public service duties with grace. Despite health challenges, your spirit remained unbroken.

Hon. Okurut, your life was a symphony of service, where advocacy through writing met the realities of policy and action. You were a bridge-builder, a defender of truth.

As PSFU, we commit to honouring your legacy by intensifying our advocacy for gender- inclusive private sector policies, ensuring that the girl child’s welfare remains central to economic growth. Your words in A Woman’s Voice remind us: The pen is mightier than the sword, and through it, you wielded change. Rest in eternal peace, Mama Bushenyi. Uganda is poorer without you, but richer for having known you, which is why you were granted an official state burial, recognizing your patriotic contributions to public service and cultural life.

May the Almighty God comfort your family, friends, and the FEMRITE community. Your light shines on.

Richard Chole, Writer and Member of FEMRITE Readers Writers Club

In the year 2000, I called Mary Karooro Okurut, seeking her guidance on how I might publish my thesis, a feminist reading of Chinua Achebe’s works. At the time, I was a student at the then Institute of Teacher Education, Kyambogo (ITEK), now Kyambogo University. My supervisor had encouraged me to explore the possibility of turning my thesis into a journal article.

Mary Okurut responded with empathy and helpfulness. She explained that she could not personally assist, as she was fully engaged with state duties in her role as Press Secretary to the President of Uganda. Yet she never left me stranded; instead, she referred me to Professor Austin Bukenya for guidance. That was my one and only close encounter with the late, more over on phone – yet she went on to have quite a profound influence on my life as a teacher of literature and as one passionate about creative writing.

My earliest memory of Mary Okurut, however, was as a regular columnist in The New Vision newspaper. Her public role as Press Secretary later made her even more visible, but I had already admired her as a writer and literary voice. To me, she embodied the kind of proactive, prolific public intellectual I aspired to be. Over the years, I pointed to her as a role model for my students – a living example of how literature could carve a meaningful path in public life.

Another moment of deeper insight came when NTV profiled her in a special series hosted by Maurice Ocol way back in 2013. That portrayal revealed to me not only her intellect and public service but also her humanity — a loving mother, wife, and down-to-earth leader. It also illuminated her profound connection with the people of Teso. This connection was not only by marriage but deeply rooted in the region’s turbulent political past. Her family, like so many others in Teso, bore the scars of Uganda’s upheavals. She carried that history with dignity, embodying both personal and communal resilience. Considering that she was born in Ankole, I found it quite revealing how fully she had integrated into the lives of her husband’s people – the Atesot.

But above all, it is her role as a founding member of FEMRITE (Uganda Women Writers’ Association) that won my deepest admiration. Looking back, I realize I was always unsettled by gender disparities, but I needed guidance to articulate and problematize what had long been my subconscious thought process. FEMRITE, under Okurut’s vision and leadership, provided exactly the kind of answers I had been searching for, a platform to amplify women’s experiences through creative writing.

What set FEMRITE apart from the onset, I believe, was its inclusivity. It welcomed male writers as allies in the struggle, fostering a collaborative space for creativity and dialogue. Secondly, FEMRITE reaches out to young people, especially students, encouraging and providing them opportunities to creatively write and be visible. This was not merely a women’s project, but a national awakening to the value of all voices. For me, as a university student pioneering a feminist reading of literature, FEMRITE’s existence validated my intellectual path. And today, through my contribution in uplifting girls and giving them platforms to realize and put to practice their creative potential in literature, I feel I am on their right side of history, thanks to FEMRITE Uganda.

I still remember walking into FEMRITE’s offices in 1999 to buy a copy of A Season of Mirth by Regina Amollo. I needed a book to practice a feminist reading before embarking fully on my thesis, a partial requirement for my Bachelor of Education course. That purchase, however, marked more than just an academic exercise. It became the beginning of a long relationship with FEMRITE, one that enriched not only my studies but also my teaching practice and my students’ literary journeys.

Today, countless men and women trace their personal and professional successes to the space that FEMRITE created, bearing Mary Karooro Okurut’s legacy and indelible imprint. In my view, the founding of FEMRITE was a ground-breaking moment in Uganda’s cultural history: for the first time, women’s voices were systematically and proactively inserted into the nation’s creative landscape. For me personally, the late Hon. Okurut and FEMRITE became steady companions in shaping my own feminist consciousness.

She was a public servant, a teacher, a writer, a mentor, and above all, a believer in the power of stories. For these reasons and many more, I believe Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut deserves a pillar in Uganda’s Halls of Fame of women’s emancipation and literary creativity.

At seventy, she had advanced in age, but then it’s when the young generation needed her most with her wealth of heart, experience and wise counsel. She left too soon.

Chris Conte, USA

I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mary Okurut in person, but I feel I know her. An organization like FEMRITE doesn’t spring up out of nowhere. It takes hard work, high ideals and an ability to bring people together and inspire them. The positive energy, devoted following and spirit that animates the organisation testify to the leadership that gave it life and made it an important fixture on the Ugandan literary scene. Congratulations, Mary Karooro Okurut!

Dr. Sr. Dominic Dipio, Makerere University

A Eulogy for my Teacher, Maria Karooro Okurut.

I broadly categorize people in two groups: those whose presence invite and make one feel at ease; and those whose presence is prohibitive – throwing one off balance. Maria evidently belongs to the first category. I describe her as an openhearted and congenial personality.

I felt welcomed in her presence when I joined the Department of Literature as a tutorial assistant in 1992. I was the third female in the then male dominated department, where Maria and Ms. Elizabeth Omuruto were the two female senior colleagues – like my elder sisters. Maria’s ‘hand-holding’ as a mentor took precedence when she hatched the idea of founding the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE). She ‘infected’ us, especially female students and younger colleagues, with the passion for creative writing. She was quick to identify potential in us and encourage us to step forward and project our voices into the mainstream. Thanks to Maria’s relentless encouragement, I was one of the authors published in the FEMRITE debut collection of short stories, published in 1998. She delighted in us stepping out of timidity to hatch our unique voices as creatives.

True to her nature, when Maria met me again, after my PhD, having extended my creative range from literary to cinematic expressions, she celebrated me saying, “Sister, I read about you in the papers making significant contributions in cinema. This is excellent. Film and literature are close cousins. Go ahead!” Again in 2019, I ran into Maria on Kampala Road, just a week before the inaugural Girls Flourish Award ceremony at the Sheraton Hotel, Kampala. I happened to be in the humbling position of being one of the nominees in A Woman with an Imaginative Pen – Literature category, together with my own teacher! Although she was already a minister and all, it was the same old Maria, my teacher, I met that day! We warmly hugged and excitedly talked about our nominations and wished each other good luck. But I could not help telling her that I wished she took the award herself. Indeed, she deservedly did!

A passionate mentor and nurturer, Maria delighted in seeing us flower and bear fruit as creatives. Many of us who experienced her teach Wole Soyinka’s plays with such relish found it hard to understand how she would leave teaching for political offices. Well! It did not take me long to appreciate her decision. With her uniting personality, Maria was totally won-over by the ideals of the 10-point National Resistance Movement (NRM). These principles she cherished and remained faithful to converge with the ethics espoused in literary engagements. She saw politics as an opportunity to lead on a wider national scale. No wonder, even as a politician and government minister, she remained true to her literary activism, churning out novels within her busy schedules. Politics did not come in the way of literature – her first love.

In this regard, two things emerge from Maria’s life-story: that both the arts – especially the literary art – and politics are ideally committed to building the nation in different ways. History has shown that the two are not inherently inimical. They could, definitely, work together in building the consciousness of citizens and humanity. Secondly, that our lives are more gratifying and enriching only when we open up to experience the diverse faces of humanity in a non-sectarian manner. On this, I still recall how Maria, a Protestant, once delightfully pulled out from her handbag, a Rosary she received from Pope John Paul II as a gift! This is the ‘open soul’ of my artist-politician teacher, who always exuded uniting vibes. Her memory and virtues remain alive when we live these values.

Maria, my teacher! May God embrace you in Eternal Love!

Dr. Doreen S, Germany

Mary Okurut was a leader.She showed us the power of education, literature, and service to others.

By founding FEMRITE, she created a home for women writers whose voices had long been silenced. In that space, many found the courage to share their stories. Some began modestly, with notebooks and dreams; today their works are found on bookshelves and syllabi not only in Uganda, not only in Africa, but in universities and libraries across the world.

Mary‘s true legacy lives on in these generations of authors and thinkers she nurtured. She opened doors, and through her vision African women’s writing gained the visibility it deserves. May her light, and the spirit of FEMRITE, continue to inspire us and radiate beyond Ugandan borders for everyone to hear.

Dr. Jocelyn Ekochu, Member of FEMRITE and Executive Director, Centre for Women in Governance  

Hon. Can. Mary Karooro Okurut was an all-round mother. She was a woman of several high-value layers. Her loss at the age of 71 robbed society of a cherished member, unrivalled in many aspects. She was smart, generous and kind, with a great sense of humour. You can describe her in whichever way basing on the numerous achievements credited to her name, but they will all boil down to one: She was a MOTHER. Here is the why.

She was a nurturer and caregiver, two of the most outstanding aspects of a mother. Although she did not have any biological children of her own, she raised her husband’s children. Together with him she gave them a normal home complete with both parents. She loved them as her very own and praised them as great children. They called her Mummy and meant it. That is a testimony that she loved them and they knew it. She earned the title with the kind of love she showed them. She also took care of many other children, including nieces and nephews, as well as those that were not blood relatives. You had to be in their inner circle, to know that she did not give birth to them.

She was a teacher, mentor and fighter. As a prolific writer, Mary mentored and nurtured other writers, particularly women. At a time when women writers were shunned by publishers, claiming that they were only writing about “women’s issues”, she mobilized a few other like-minded women and together they started FEMRITE. To put it simply, she fought for women writers and secured their space on the literary scene. The organization trains, mentors and publishes women’s works.

Her background as a lecturer of Literature added value and ensured quality publications. She encouraged every woman writer to explore her potential, tell their story and own her plot. She changed the narrative as she produced writer after writer. Even when she became very busy, she would still find time to support the women writers either as a group or individuals. In a nutshell, she conceived, birthed, gathered and mentored women writers. That’s how she earned the nickname Mother Hen.

Mary was a protector and voice of the voiceless. As a member of parliament she took motherhood to her constituents in Bushenyi District. We are living at a time that has witnessed highest levels of selfishness which has bred insane levels of corruption. But Mary was the voice that could not be silenced. She fiercely protected her constituents’ rights to dignified life by advocating for government funds to facilitate economic empowerment. She did this for grassroots women engaged in small scale income-generating projects. She reasoned that an economically empowered woman is a stable pillar in a home. She gathered the women and taught them to ensure that their children should never go hungry. This is the voice of a mother who mothered other mothers.       

For sustainability of her legacy, Mary mentored young women in her constituency and encouraged them to take up leadership roles. Her motherly instincts were looking at the future where young women claimed their space at the decision-making table. Just like any other mother, she was thinking about the legacy she had built and she wanted to make sure that it would be grown and spread far and wide. She was a source of inspiration with a large presence in all areas where motherhood mattered the most. Yes, Mary was many things, but they all came to one thing; a mother worth her own weight in gold.

Fare thee well, Mother Hen. You left a legacy written in indelible ink permanently etched in our minds.

Dr. Pamela Fitch, Women Wisdom Art, California, USA 

I had the privilege and honour of writing the chapter on Mary Karooro Okurut for the anthology This Bridge Called Woman. A prolific writer and founder of FEMRITE, she was a mentor and inspiration to generations of member authors and poets.

Mary studied literature at Makerere University in Kampala, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Literature degree in 1977, followed in 1981 by her Master of Arts in Literature degree. After receiving her master’s degree, she joined the Department of Literature as a Lecturer. Fountain Publishers published her play, The Curse of the Sacred Cow in 1994. Experiencing first-hand the challenges facing Ugandan women determined to write and publish their own stories, Mary saw a need she was determined to fill. She brought together a group of women writers at Makerere University, a group that would become FEMRITE. Mary’s novels include The Official Wife, The Invisible Weevil, and The Switch.

In addition to her teaching and writing, Mary had a career in politics and government service. She left Makerere University in 1993, to enter the political realm as press secretary to Samson Kisekka, then the Vice-President of Uganda. In 1999, Mary was appointed press secretary to President Museveni. In 2004, after serving in a series of appointed government positions, Mary was elected to represent the Bushenyi District Women’s Constituency in the Ugandan Parliament, a seat she held for sixteen years. While a Member of Parliament, Mary held several positions in President Museveni’s cabinet.

Prof. Lynda Gichanda Spencer, Associate Professor, Rhodes University

It is with profound sadness that I write this tribute in honour of Mary Karooro Okurut, whose narratives touched many. More than just a writer, Mary Karooro Okurut was a woman of valour, integrity and a storyteller who knew the value of stories, particularly narratives about women’s experiences.

In The Invisible Weevil, Okurut chronicles the violent history of post-independent Uganda, Okurut depicts women as agents of change, who challenge patriarchal attitudes that constrain women as well as the impact of HIV/Aids on women. Okurut uses the central image of the weevil to represent three forms of violence and their impact on women: the violent atrocities of tyrannical regimes, the devastating effects of pervasive patriarchal oppression and the impact of the HIV/Aids scourge.

However, perhaps, Okurut’s greatest legacy was not only in the books she wrote, but also in her contributions to the Uganda Women’s Writers Association and FEMRTE Publications. As a mentor, colleague, and friend, she encouraged others to find their voice, to write boldly, and to believe that their stories mattered.

I commemorate a life that enriched literature and expanded our imaginations. Though Mary Karooro Okurut is no longer with us, her legacy lives on in her narratives and FEMRITE. Rest peacefully, Mother Hen, you will always be remembered.

Carol Idembe, Vice Chairperson, Action for Development

The late Mary Karooro Okurut was a true picture of the feminine nature of God, kind and pleasant. Even when she stood in the shoes of a political leader as Member of Parliament and Minister. She was always respectful of the electorate, the citizens and his fellow political leaders on both the divide.

Mary was a professional and I interfaced with her articles in the newspaper where she wrote on themes and topics that embraced the “the Uganda we want”.

Mary you were the true provable woman found in Proverbs 31″ The first nine versus offer advice from King Lemuel’s mother to her son about the responsibilities of a just ruler, and the remaining Versus 10-31 describe the qualities of a “wife of noble character ” or an ideal woman, who is characterised by her industry, wisdom, diligence, compassion and fear of the Lord!

This proverbs woman is a true description of the late Mary who was a resourceful and capable homemaker and business woman, whose virtue and Good works (author and writer) are praised by her family, community and political party. 

Mary rest well in the hands of our Lord Jesus!

Hon. Tezira Jamwa, Woman activist and retired politician

It was in quick succession when the women movement both in Uganda and the region lost three heroines and legends from their fold.

Hon Rhoda Kalema, Hon Phoebe Asiyo of Kenya and Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut. I will concentrate on Hon. Karooro Okurut, an educationist, writer, Philantiopist, a woman activist and a dedicated public servant. Her leadership style was very unique, mingled with servant leadership style. She led with very rare calm grace and dignity. She was a woman of character with a big heart. She held the severity of the country in high esteem. And served well in all those public offices she held with patriotism, love and true commitment to service. Her service to the country was invaluable.

Through her writings, she captured human stories and community challenges and made them alive. These stories inspired both girls and women plus the wider community within Uganda and beyond/globally. Fair thee well and may your good deeds, continue to shine in the hearts of the women’s movement worldwide.

Reyna L. Jones, VP, Diasporic Arm, Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA)

“I didn’t know Mary Karooro Okurut personally, but when I learned of her passing and her profound impact as a leader for African female voices and young writers, I felt compelled to learn more. I picked up The Invisible Weevil and have just begun reading.

What strikes me is that even without knowing her, her work already connects with me – and that, I believe, is part of the powerful legacy she leaves behind.

Though we mourn her departure, she is never truly gone. She lives in the stories she told, the truths she revealed, and the inspiration she continues to spark in those of us only now discovering her work. She understood the importance of seeing clearly and telling the truth. Okurut had the rare ability to call out systems of power with grace and sophistication.

Her work reminds us that writing is never just about the writer. It’s about connection – recognizing that our voices matter not only for ourselves but because they bind us together. The strongest stories shine a light on the systems and structures that shape our lives, especially the ones that limit our freedoms.

As Vice President of the Diasporic Arm of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), I am committed to connecting, empowering, and amplifying the literary voices of African heritage across continents through WAFORD (Writers of African Origin in the Diaspora). Together, we work to create visibility and connection between our stories, because at the core, we are all human, with so much to learn from one another.

If we truly want to honour Okurut—a woman who devoted her life to difficult truths and stories that matter—we must spend time with her work. We must sit with it, listen deeply, and let it shape us. That is how her legacy grows. That is how we keep the light burning.”

Prof. Egara Kabaji, Chancellor – Mt Kigali University, Rwanda   

The East African literary fraternity is in mourning. We have lost a passionate writer, a bold thinker, and a tireless champion of African voices, Mary Karooro Okurut. 

I first met Mary in the 1990s at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Literature. She had just visited Nairobi, radiating warmth and a quiet determination that stayed with me. The last time our paths crossed was on 22 November 2023 at Kyambogo University in Kampala, during the Pan African Writers Association conference organised together with FEMRITE, the remarkable organisation she founded to give women writers a platform.

On behalf of the Creative Writers Association of Kenya, I extend our heartfelt condolences to FEMRITE, our sister national writers’ association in Uganda, and to the entire creative community in East Africa.

When a writer dies, society loses more than a voice; it loses a keeper of memory, a shaper of dreams, and a guardian of truth. Mary’s words and work will continue to speak across borders and generations.

Rest well, sister. Your pen has left an indelible mark.

Flavia Kabuye Zalwango, Communications scholar and Member of FEMRITE

Remembrance. Mother Hen, was a symbol of humility, greatness and versatile expression. Through the years, she listened to our ideas and saw us transform them into beautiful publishable pieces adorning our writers’ robes and pens with her counsel and motherly wisdom. Elegance was her style and she carried us far into the future with her vision, warmth and finesse. We will remember!

Mother Hen will always remain in our hearts and narratives, her legacy shining through the path she curved for every writer and life she touched. As FEMRITE keeps the writing spirit alive we will make it the timeless and bountiful coop that Mother Hen built and cherished so dearly.

Danson Kahyana, PhD, English Department, Boston College, MA  

The passing of Mary Karooro Okurut is a big loss to Uganda because she contributed to her country in myriad ways, most powerfully as an educator and storyteller. By founding the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE), Okurut revolutionized women’s writing by making their voice a roaring one to the point of nearly muting the men’s. For this, FEMRITE gave her the honorific title MOTHER HEN which to me sounds more profound than the title HONORABLE which she got when she served the people of Bushenyi District as Woman Member of Parliament and later the people of Uganda as cabinet minister.

In an age where heads of state in some African countries think that the arts and the humanities are useless, Okurut subtly disagreed: She demonstrated that all the STEM programs in the world might not fight an issue like Female Genital Mutilation. Her novel, THE SWITCH, begins a conversation on this practice by dramatizing how harmful it is to women’s health and sexuality. In Milking a Lioness, she raises several other issues of concern, including the trauma that comes with war and the need to renovate tradition to make it progressive. In The Invisible Weevil, she writes women into the national narrative as brave combatants who champion their own liberation. In all her work, she showed us that despite the challenges we face in life, it is possible to rise and walk tall.

Deus Kansiime, Literary Studies Scholar, University of Cambridge

Mary Karooro, led a Soft Revolution in the Literary Enterprise of Africa.

To my generation, Karooro was a household name. This was mainly on account of her political profile and public service record as a seasoned member of parliament, a cabinet minister and presidential press secretary. But her legacy will perhaps be most defined by her revolutionary influence in the domain of literary production. Her presence on the literary scene shaped the emergence of a very conspicuous, self-defining brand—FEMRITE. A prolific writer herself, Karooro helped shape a system that uplifted dozens of other women writers through her visionary founding of FEMRITE. At the time Karooro convened the famous 1995 meeting in Makerere, only about four Ugandan women could be called to the country’s ranks of literary authorship. By the time she died, multiple Ugandan women had won literary prizes, been published and established across the world—most with links to FEMRITE.

Whatever one thinks of it, FEMRITE was an unprecedented feat of institutional innovation whose simplicity masked its genius. In her 2013 monograph, Canadian literary scholar, Doreen Straus, saw in FEMRITE a new kind of public sphere institution—the literary NGO. It is this LINGO dynamic that has fairly eluded the neoliberal economic impediments of 1990s to the book market and checked the hierarchical authority of the academy in determining literary output and circulation. In her evaluation of women writing in East Africa, Marie Kruger describes Karooro’s effort as a form of institutional manoeuvre around the fraud, subversiveness and futility of modernity’s structures in sub-Saharan Africa. For Strauhs and Kruger, Karooro’s FEMRITE was a soft revolutionary response to the inertia of the post-cold war system of literary production in Africa.

The implications of Karooro’s activism and FEMRITE on the region’s literary history go beyond the promotion of women writing, their participation and representation in literary practice. It also stimulated other categories of writers and tropes of literary engagement. Ten years after its founding, another Karooro-like meeting at Makerere was held by four undergraduate students at Africa Hall. It produced the Lantern Meet of Poets and later Ibua Publishing. This ripple effect extends to the likes of Writivism – CACE, Open Mic Uganda, Kitara Nation, Babishai Niwe, Kelele at Makerere, Stubborn Poetry and Kwivuga. The idea that Karooro and her companions set in motion was simple but extraordinary. Writers and artists did not need the mediation and sanctification of the mainstream literary establishment. It was a do-it-yourselves revolution. In its fraternal and artisanal style, this do-it-yourselves mind-set expanded the horizons of writing and literary life in Uganda and beyond. Karooro was not a careerist but a passionate literary activist. Her activism for women rights was an enduring theme in her novels. Her last novel, The Switch, features a woman hero whose multidimensional activism, straddling politics, culture and community action, illustrates the kind of public figure Karooro was. She did not just lament or dramatize. She acted. She established something that many others held onto.

As the amiable ‘Mother Hen,’ her hatches and broods knew no boundaries. Despite her busy political schedule, she was a regular voice in print media. Her articles and columns in The New Vision and The Daily Monitor were a mixture of art, insight and analysis. In person, she was simple, polite, kind and affable. Her hard work, activism and brilliance were only rivalled by her humility, charm and charisma.

Sarah Katumba, Retired Academic and member of FEMRITE

I did not have the chance to know Mary for long, but the little time I interacted with her gave me a pleasant, everlasting impression. She exuded a warmth about her, and in her I saw a free spirited woman with unique attributes and a beautiful soul. One who could mend a broken soul with her kind attitude and demeanour, so full of love. She made whoever came in contact with her feel safe and comfortable. No wonder she was called “The Mother Hen”. Rest in Peace dear Mary, you will forever be missed.

Christian Samuel Katwesigye, School of Women and Gender studies, Makerere University  

From Page to Performance: Mary Karooro Okurut.

The pages of Writing speak to the brilliance and excellence of a mind that was to light the world. Writing that indeed breed the need to invest in work and art are what your legacy is all about and through the lens many will remember your work as a great leader and one that lived a life of dedicated service. The initiative to create a foundation in women writing didn’t mean that women are self-centred or focused but the support was to provide skilling in creativity, like poetry, reading, writing and academia. The strength of FEMRITE has a backbone that has been built off your humble beginnings. You were charismatic to have taken on this job.

To nurture a future generation of writers is possibly the aim of a foundation that you have left behind in this era. To say it right, FEMRITE is not for females alone but men also are a chapter in this foundation, to encourage and learn through the stories and experiences of the African women. Through these short stories and poetry, many have projected voices from the deepest and darkest places within Uganda.

For generations to come, these stories will be told and it shall be remembered that the nurturing of young talented readers, writers and editors stemmed from your mustard seeds. These were sowed in the fertile minds of the passionate young activists that felt the undying need to put women stories and tales from the pearl of Africa into the face of the world. Whatever the stage, the voices continue to be amplified. This is indeed a vision to light up the show for the women.

As Minister in charge of Gender, you showed us direction in the right way and you set the stage for the greatest life lesson; that amidst darkness and shadows a ray of hope if we look harder.

Thank you Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut.

Dr. Jane Kavuma – Kayonga, FEMRITE Member, Writer and Blogger: https:// a page from munakusbook834350529.blog

Undeniably, Hon. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut is considered as one of Uganda’s distinguished educationist, author and politician. Our paths would never have crossed if I had not had an inherent passion for the written word which drove me to awaken the sleeping writer in me.  I had shelved her during my long dance with motherhood and career development. As my children started joining university one by one, I willed myself to pick up the creative side of myself. After my return from economic exile I met Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut often in the FEMRITE- organised workshops, seminars and retreats. It was both a privilege and exciting to know her. For her, literature was essential in cultivating and enhancing critical thinking, empathy, helping people to see different perspectives of each situation and developing good communication skills.

As a voracious reader, I had read and been fascinated by her novel : The Invisible Weevil (1998) – fiction, based on the post-colonial period of Uganda’s history while drawing attention to the political instability and gender concerns of the day. And the drama one: The Curse of theof The Sacred Cow; talking about the misfortunes that befell the household after they had tampered with the values and beliefs within their culture.

As a lecturer in the department of Literature of MUK, she was distinctly aware of the absence of Ugandan female writers in the literary landscape of Uganda and globally and yet the written word could be as sharp as swords. She knew that if the Ugandan women were empowered and encouraged to write their stories in their own words, these stories would help shape public opinion and inspire advocacy for gender equality. Such stories usually based on the reality on the ground would also promote women’s education and cause social reform movements about important social issues like identity, relationships, and inheritance, dowry and child marriages. Women, make up more than fifty percent of our population, the backbone of families and communities in Uganda. They are natural storytellers and custodians of oral narratives. This demands that women’s voices should be consistently heard and celebrated. Driven by her passion for literature, her curiosity, bold confidence, determination and nurturing spirit, Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut and a few other like- minded women: Ayeta Anne Wangusa, Hilda J. Twongyeirwe, Rosemary Kyarimpa, Dr. Susan  N. Kiguli, and others, co-founded the Uganda Women Writers Association – FEMRITE in 1995 and launched it in 1996.

Since then, this sound platform and launching pad, has supported Ugandan women writers and given them a collective voice as they told their unique stories which themselves became works of catalysts of change addressing collective concerns or overlooked realities.

Having been in economic exile for over twenty five years, I returned to a completely changed literary landscape; no longer male-dominated. We now boast of international writers and poets like Goretti Kyomuhendo, Susan Kiguli, Glaydah Namukasa and many young ones are emerging during this digital era. We also have publishers, editors and bloggers. The once- silent women are now vocal the once – unseen are clearly visible and recognised, the unheard are now being listened to attentively. They are all offering transformative ideas for creating a world that values men and women equally. They never forget their biggest challenge of consistently creating and nurturing a reading culture in each generation. “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.’’- James Keller

Their pens and keyboards are at work 24/7. All this credit first goes back to God who gave these women the gifts and talents of playing with words to create powerful images.  And then to ‘’ Mother Hen, Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut, the storyteller from Bushenyi and all the teams she has worked with at FEMRITE for these 29 years of active service. In the last three years, efforts are also being invested into FEMRITE owning its own home/base: A key Rite of Passage at 29 years of age!  In our culture this symbolises maturity, taking on greater responsibility, self-provisioning and Independence.

Thank you most sincerely, Mother Hen for ensuring that there is continuity after you. Uganda’s women writers are determined to honour you by carrying on your established legacy in the literary world while creating their own as well.

As Albert Einstein rightly said: “Creating is contagious, pass it on.’’

Creative works are gifts to the world; like all other authors before you, yours will outlive you and you will be reborn as each generation reads and interprets them.

Rest in Eternal Peace, Mother Hen of FEMRITE

Davina Kawuma, Writer and Member of FEMRITE 

Ugandans are unnervingly skilled at using social media to kill people.

It happens often: a forwarded message, a screenshot, or a hastily typed post announces the death of someone, usually a government official, an ex or serving minister or member of parliament, only for them to appear hours later on a talk show or at a public event, delivering a few pointed words to those who have spread false rumours of their death.

So when news of Mother Hen’s death first reached me, I assumed Ugandans were merely indulging their usual morbid humour. I didn’t think she wasn’t really gone. I fully expected her to show up at a function, scolding those who had dared to bury her before her time.

I did not accept the news of her death as true until I’d read articles in The Daily Monitor and The New Vision.

Over the next few days, as vigil and burial plans crystallized, the outlines of her absence began to sketch themselves across different spaces.

Friends and I exchanged disbelieving messages, fragments of shock, half-formed sentences that trailed off as if language itself had been struck dumb. Newspapers began to fill with tributes, recollections of her service, and testimonies to the work she’d been involved in over the years. On television, too, photos of her appeared in slow rotation.

On Thursday, at the opening reception of the Kampala Writes Festival, the news of her passing hung in the air. Before the program began, she was honoured with a moment of silence. I arrived at her home about three hours later, wholly unprepared for the sight that met me. The road to the gate was choked with cars and boodaboodas, while steady streams of people filed into the compound. Never in my life had I seen so many gathered for a vigil. It seemed as if half of Kampala had turned up to pay their respects.

I made my way to the back of one of the tents erected in the compound, where a few writers had gathered. Together, we listened as family and friends took turns to speak. Relatives recounted details of her declining health. Then came the women who had known her since high school, their memories braided with affection and laughter. They spoke of her generosity, of the many ways she had extended herself to others.

I didn’t know Mother Hen personally. In fact, I never met her. And yet there are so many ways in which she touched my life — ways in which I, too, benefited from her generosity.

The idea that became FEMRITE, Uganda Women Writers Association, was hers; she did the groundwork, the initial organising, and the gathering of followers. She led its operations until it grew strong enough to stand on its own, with a board and staff to carry the vision forward.

Without FEMRITE and the spaces and programs it nurtured (such as the Readers/Writers Club, Author of the Month, and the Week of Activities) I might never have had the opportunity to meet and/or read Ugandan artists and academics like Doreen Baingana, Violet Barungi, Mildred Kiconco Barya, Jackie Batanda, Austin Bukenya, Dilman Dila, Susan Kiguli, Goretti Kyomuhendo, Beatrice Lamwaka, Taban Lo Liyong, Charles Mulekwa, Glaydah Namukasa, Beverley Namboozo, Hilda Twongyeirwe, Ayeta Anne Wangusa, and Timothy Wangusa.

I cut my writing teeth at the Readers/Writers Club. It was more than just a place to receive comments and feedback on my work; it was also a space of communion, where writing was not a solitary act but part of an ongoing conversation.

On Monday evenings, we gathered to debate and reflect on everything from the ethical responsibilities of writers to the politics that inevitably shape literature. I was fortunate to learn in the company of voices like Ber Anena, Lloyd Lutara, Kagayi Mutanga, and Oscar Ranzo.

Through the club, I also interacted with the work of other literary organizations that were also reshaping the country’s literary landscape: Ibua, BN Poetry Award, Lantern Meet of Poets, So Many Stories, Writivism, etc. The Readers/Writers Club was both a workshop and a doorway, grounding me in a tradition of collective learning while opening me up to a wider ecosystem of writing, editing, and publishing.

FEMRITE’s remarkably rich resource centre opened up a new world, one far removed from the literature I’d consumed as a high school student (Francis Imbuga, Meja Mwangi, David Rubadiri, William Shakespeare, Efua Sutherland, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o). It was there that I learned of writers like Ellen Aaku-Banda, Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, Margaret Atwood, Stella Chipasula, Sandra Cisneros, Ralph Ellison, Bernardine Evaristo, Amitav Ghosh, Bessie Head, Amy Hempel, Moses Isegawa, Kazuo Ishiguro, Tayari Jones, Doris Lessing, Dambudzo Marechera, Leslie Marmon Silko, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Maaza Mengiste, Nadifa Mohamed, Toni Morrison, Alice Munro, Haruki Murakami, Ryu Murakami, V. S. Naipaul, Kenzaburō Ōe, Orhan Pamuk, Rainer Maria Rilke, Arundhati Roy, Alice Sebold, Carol Shields, Lola Shoneyin, Zadie Smith, Susan Sontag, Chika Unigwe, and Yvonne Vera.

It was also through FEMRITE’s resource centre that I also discovered Kwani? In the five or so collections housed there, I discovered the work of Isaac Otidi Amuke, Petina Gappah, Mehul Gohil, Neelika Jayawardane, David Kaiza, Billy Kahora, Parselelo Kantai, Andia Kisia, Keguro Macharia, Ngwatilo Mawiyoo, Serubiri Moses, Sitawa Namwalie, Adhiambo Owuor, Stephen Partington, Kalundi Serumaga, Michael Soi, Jumoke Verissimo, and Binyavanga Wainaina.

I must admit that much of the writing I read in Kwani? flew straight over my head at the time. And yet, even in my half-comprehension, I sensed that I was in the presence of something magical — voices experimenting, reshaping, and expanding the possibilities of expression.

The first residency I attended was organized by FEMRITE. There, I met and was inspired by other African women writers like Lillian Akampurira Aujo, Monica Zodwa Cheru, Jocelyn Ekochu, Lisa Anne Julien, Famia Nkasa, Constance Obonyo, Bolaji Seven Odofin, Okwiri Oduor, Sembatya Rosey, Pamela Sinkamba, and Zukiswa Wanner.

The first children’s story I wrote, The boy who grew tired of being a boy, was published by FEMRITE as part of a poetry poster project. More recently, my creative nonfiction story, For a new way of seeing: April Jean, was published by FEMRITE as part of a cross-cultural project that brought American and Ugandan women into conversation, creating a vibrant exchange of voices across borders and experiences.

These are just a few among countless examples of what became possible for me and other writers because of Mother Hen. At FEMRITE, she carved out a space where people like me could stumble in, test our voices, falter, and still be held long enough to try again. The confidence that I, and so many others, now carry as writers can be traced back to those early opportunities. Opportunities that existed only because she had the foresight and persistence to build a platform where women’s stories were taken seriously.

Her absence will be profoundly felt, yet her legacy endures. It is now our collective duty to carry forward what she began; to nurture, to sustain, and to ensure that the vision she so passionately pursued continues to bear fruit for generations to come.

The best way we can honour her is to ensure that the doors she opened never close.

Prof. Susan Kiguli, one of the founding members of FEMRITE and a former student and mentee of Mary Karooro Okurut

MOTHER HEN OF THE FEMRITE FAME

It is extremely hard to write a fitting tribute to Mother Hen in the way we actually meant that term Mother Hen as FEMRITE. She was an epic personality and therefore no words at all seem to do justice to the grandeur of her noble character. She was beautiful inside and out and this is said without any exaggeration, Mother Hen or Maria as we sometimes called her was the stuff of which myths and legends are born.

I remember her vividly as if it was just yesterday, coming to our first year class at Makerere University to teach us drama. We were awed right from the beginning partly too because at the age that we were at, extraordinary beauty has a way of captivating one. I think all of us were arrested by her personality. She was not only a delightful elegant and charismatic presence but she was also very passionate about drama. Her passion was the rare kind that was fully packaged with humour. I cannot forget when she told us about the play she had written after the fall of Amin’s regime, which was first staged at the National Theatre here in Kampala that had audiences collapsing with laughter at every turn. Then the play was staged in Dar- es Salaam and all the audiences there were in tears throughout the performance. We inevitably giggled at the scenario and she turned to us and remarked in her really typical humorous way “There you go proving your Ugandanness!” We laughed again and she used the opportunity to explain to us what notions such as catharsis, purgation and coping mechanism meant in Aristotelian terms.

Right from the outset of my association with Mother Hen, I was struck by her ability to tell stories. She was an accomplished storyteller both in oral and written form. I will never forget when she told Jane Alowo and I of her first meeting with her mother –in –law who spoke the Ateso language while Mother Hen spoke Runyakore. So the story was that she made up her mind to impress her mother –in-law at their first meeting by greeting her in Ateso and she went to an Ateso friend who taught her the ‘greeting.’ She kept it a surprise from her husband and when she got to her mother-in-law’s home, she knelt in all humility and said these words that turned out to be tabooed vulgarities!! Her husband almost fell over in shock but her mother – in – law understood what had transpired. I just kept laughing whenever I remembered the story. It was the same with the story of how she gave her husband, who she adored to a fault, to read the manuscript of The Invisible Weevil and when he had finished he put it down and advised that the story must be told in the third person lest people thought that it was Maria’s own story.

She then knew this story was powerful and so to keep the story alive, she changed it to third person and she said it was such an uphill task, she began to respect all editors deeply!

Since this is a part of a larger tribute, I had better wind it up by talking about Mother Hen’s incredible determination to see her dreams and vision to the logical conclusion. Mother Hen was determined that women writers in Uganda had to be visible and she did everything possible in her power to realise this dream. This story has been recounted numerous times but let me clinch it with a personal anecdote. When FEMRITE was launched Maria came to my office since she knew my love for writing poetry and requested that I put my poems together in a manuscript and she kept checking on me physically until I handed over the manuscript to her! Then in 1998, we were invited to then popular Zimbabwe Book Fair. Mother Hen and I were selected to go on behalf of FEMRITE. We had very little money but Mother Hen was determined that we should be at that book fair and opted that we share a room. I could not believe that Mother Hen overlooked her status as my professor and also the core founder of FEMRITE to share a room with me so we could talk about FEMRITE to a wider audience. Actually that was what set Mother Hen apart. She was not only personable but very generous of spirit and one of the most focused and resilient people I have ever had the honour to know. I know that the angels in heaven feel privileged to have her in their company. Rest well, Mother Hen, till we meet.

Bob G. Kisiki, Novelist

A prose ode to Mary.

You join university full of explosive gusto. You want to learn, you want to meet the powerful people you have heard about and read from. You feel an obdurate urge to fill your inside with all the great things the university can offer. You are an abyss of longing and enthusiasm.

That was me, joining Makerere University back in ’92. That was me, joining the phenomenal Literature Department that, I had learnt, nurtured the likes of Ngugi and [Austin] Bukenya. I knew I would become something, sitting in the rooms those minds had imbibed whatever had made them great, from.

So whichever lecturer came to us, I emptied myself of anything that had the potential to distract me, so I could take in whatever they had brought us. And so it was, when this vivacious, beautiful woman stormed Lecture Room 4. I will never forget that day. She wore radiant colours with fascinating African jewellery. Long hair that stood defiantly on her head, as opposed to what I had always seen – women’s hair falling subserviently on their shoulders and, for some, the back. Her eyes danced eagerly in their sockets, taking in the room, but also reassuring us that we had come home.

That was Mary Karooro Okurut, known at the department as MKO. She spoke with energetic conviction, laced with such humour as could not let your mind wander. MKO’s lectures… those were two-hour sessions you did not notice slide by; sessions that left you changed.

Then, not too long after we joined the department, we heard the news: She was leaving Makerere University.

Do you know heartbreak? My very first one wasn’t from a romantic relationship; it was getting the news that one of my favourite lecturers had quit. Of course there was always someone to take over from whoever left or went for further studies, but each person had their idiosyncratic traits. Mary’s were Mary’s, and I had got hooked. Then the hook came undone. Then I came undone, at least in that moment.

I say in that moment, because again not long after that, I met Mary at a writer’s event in town. Could have been Grand Imperial Hotel. Maybe it doesn’t even matter. I sat at the back, but Mary had a roving eye. Like always looking for opportunities to influence; to help; to invite into the moment. I lifted my eyes and there she was, striding towards me. Since the event hadn’t yet begun, there were not many people, so I was sure she was coming to me. I stood up and, to my surprise, she gave me a hug. My former lecturer, whom I had never even had personal interactions with, gave me a hug!

That is how we began to interact. I told her I was interested in books. Reading and writing. We chatted a bit, but being the big personality she was, she had to go and meet other people. For me, the event had happened, and I was full. My heart was satiated.

Soon after Mary founded FEMRITE, she came to Makerere for some event. Those days, it was one event after another. She saw me and told me about FEMRITE. She said there was this young woman who was now coordinating the organization, who was so full of ideas and energy, I would love to talk with her. She said the young woman was called Goretti. I made a mental note to meet Goretti, which ended up happening soon after. Another friendship formed; a relationship that has been one of the most formidable forces in my writing career. Because of Mary and her desire to leave no one behind; to pump enthusiastic encouragement into anyone she crossed paths with.

Do you know, those early days of FEMRITE, that woman even invited me to write a novel, and they would publish it, despite my being male? It’s just that around that time, I was writing a commissioned book for another publishing firm, and it had taken up all my time. At the same time, FEMRITE too was out of time for the batch among which I was asked to write, so the opportunity passed me by.

I will put this in the simplest terms I can: You cannot talk writing in this country, and not think Mary Karooro Okurut. The versatility of and in her writing, the platforms she erected for other people to stand tall and be counted among the writing fraternity, the infectious friendliness that made it easy to approach her and seek her counsel… She was exceptional. She is exceptional.

That is the Mary I mourn, but also celebrate. That is the Mary for whom you need not erect a physical monument, because Mary’s life was in itself a monument of literary achievement, of selfless usefulness, of calm, yet enduring influence in the book industry. She is a force we will miss, but only her physical, electrifying presence. She will forever be a part of the growth and flourishing of the book industry in Uganda and beyond. All the successful and budding female writers all around us will always point to the things Mary championed. FEMRITE became and has always been the number one driving force on Uganda’s literary scene, courtesy of Mary and the vibrant army she formed and worked with.

May her candle never go out.

Justin N. Kiyimba, Nambi Sseppuuya Community Resource Centre, JINJA.

Nambi Sseppuuya Community Resource Centre in Jinja joins FEMRITE and the books fraternity to mourn the passing of Mrs. Mary Karooro Okrutu nicknamed Mother Hen by the young women whom she mentored, encouraged to write and publish.

The Resource Centre whose Mission is to fight illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and disease through education, training and provision of reading and research materials, was named after Irene Nambi who was an admirer of Mary Karooro Okrutu. 

Mary’s legacy will continue to impact on many women writers, young and old in this country and probably beyond. 

The Resource Centre continues to encourage young women to emulate the likes of this remarkable Lady, Mary Karooro Okurut, whom many continue to regard as their role model.

May the good Lord welcome her in His glory 

Peace Kyamureku, Woman Activist and Member of FEMRITE

Having met Mary Karooro at university, as an academician, then in the world of work, she was a genuine person. She was no pretender, and was helpful when approached. She would reach many high offices, so whenever a civil society function was in need of an appropriate Guest of Honour, Honourable Kar0oro would advise, assist to forward invitation and made sure the guest and hostess were happy.

She will be missed during this period when the Women’s Movement is not vibrant if not disintegrated. She was a unifier for the elite, the professionals, the academia and politicians. She was a respectable member of religious group, where she was a role model for many grassroots women and girls in a patriarchal Uganda. She was a nationalist who used her literally gift to reach out to the world through her writing. She will always be remembered for many things.

Joan Kyarimpa Ndamira, Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara

Word by word, Karooro built a community.

As high school students of Literature in English, we always imagined that literary giants had lived and passed on. Never could we imagine any of them still alive. Trust young minds to conjure up and believe anything. Ngugi? Achebe? Mongo? Sembene? Karooro? Alive? No way! But who could blame us? These were titans that were larger than life.

Fast forward. We get to Makerere University and lo and behold! The one and only Professor MKO is not only alive but is also on the teaching timetable as our tutor.

To say that we were star struck is an understatement. What an honour it was! But we were not yet done with trying to dissect this enigma: if she is still alive and kicking, she must be full of airs and graces, unapproachable, “prouding herself”, up there in the skies and beyond, that queen of letters! You cannot write those master pieces and remain humane.

Fast forward. Assumption meets reality. We encountered a mother, an aunt, a godmother, a mentor, a super instructor, public intellectual, change maker, network builder, nurturer, crusader of gender equality, role model, a counsellor, an encourager, a patient soul and everything in-between. “She is very nice and humble,” we bit her back. “Kale, she is different from everyone else around here,” we awed and wowed. “If only we could have half of her life,” we wished.

Fast forward. The birth of FEMRITE. Maama Mary Karooro Okurut identified what did not exist yet and charted a way forward. Few female authors- disintegrated, demotivated, crying out for a breakthrough. She dreamt of a future where women writers could be jumpstarted, irrigated, strengthened and nurtured into something beyond their wildest imagination- number one best sellers. Clever her, knew that writing is a tool for change and connection; a catalyst for the sisterhood movement. That dream has now upgraded to a global phenomenon.

As the generation next, there is so much that we have picked from Mother Hen. To work quietly behind the scenes and let results do the talking. Never to seek praise even when you deserve it; it will eventually find its way home anyway. To lift others, even if they rise higher. To let your story become the foundation of so many others. To be dynamic; to trail the blaze. When she retired from lecturing at Makerere University (wait! Who resigns from imparting knowledge at the Harvard of Africa? Who?) and to politics, we learned that the world is a big, wide stage with several roles to audition for. Never to sit on one’s laurels. As a spokesperson of the Government at a time when it was not very popular among the elite, we picked the lesson of serving with conviction, no matter the circumstances. You must identify a tenet and be ready to defend it with your last drop of blood.

And who can forget MKO’s elegance, style and sophistication? From the look of things, she always remembered that you are addressed the way you are dressed. Memories of her colourful bitengyes, fine embroidery, classy and timeless ornaments. Such a well- dressed queen she was! A real head turner.

Courage, community, the empowerment of the womenfolk, a voice for the voiceless, are only a small portion of MKO’s lasting legacy. The contemporariness of her works- the AIDS scourge in The Invisible Weevil and FGM in The Switch, affirm her exceptional courage to tackle tough issues through literature and her eloquence.

Authors never really pass on. They only relocate to where they can commit to put to paper better stories. Adieu our torchbearer. Carry that light forward. Missed but certainly never forgotten.

Beatrice Lamwaka, Writer, Member of FEMRITE and and President of PEN International – Uganda Chapter

I am forever grateful to Mother Hen for founding, FEMRITE. Without her, I am sure I would never have become a writer. I used to love reading and I knew for a fact that writers were white and dead because most of the books I read were written by dead white men. Then, I joined FEMRITE and things changed, I met writers and they were Ugandans and I knew that I could use the resources from there, I read books and used the computers to type my stories. I was trained there and my dreams for writing grew wings. 

I am one of the writers that Mother Hen dreamt of when she founded FEMRITE. I will write as long as I live and my writing will travel to places I will never reach and my characters will speak languages I will never speak because Mother Hen thought this should be possible for many Ugandan women.

When she was appointed minister, she asked me to write a poem and recite it during her Thanksgiving ceremony at Serena Hotel. Even though, I am not much of a poet. I wrote a poem. When Mother Hen asks you to do something, you do it. I went there knowing there are many poets who would recite poetry for her. It turned out, I was the only poet she had asked to do this.

I know I have now gained a writing angel. I will not be surprised if she wakes me up at night and tells me I have a lot of writing to do.

Rest in power, Mother Hen. There will be no one like you.

Dr. Linda Lillian, Member and Chairperson of FEMRITE  

Many minds describe who Honourable Mary Karooro Okurut was but we choose to say who she is. She is that candle that never will burn out in the wind, because Karooro Okurut is an eternal flame. She is a legacy built on nurturing of young and old female and male resources in many fields, as an educator, mentor, role model and mother. She is a birth-right to both female and male writers. A birth-right is priceless and a gem worth cherishing forever. That is why what she started outlives her. Generations of writers and productive professionals in various fields of work know her name and so will their children. Her being Honourable is not just in title but in essence. What is there not to say for there is a lot, yet to sum it all up Honourable Karooro Okurut continues to live on through her legacy which is here – even in writing this now. 

Magoba Waalaby’eki, Published writer

Writing in African oral literature, functions in contemporary context (2001), Austin Bukenya decries the women’s checked orca rights as propounded in this African proverb: “The hen knows that  dawn  has come, but it watches the mouth of the rooster.”

Mother Hen defied the ever unending watching for male writers’ new books on Uganda’s literary landscape. When she was sure that   dawn had come, she crowed loudly and clearly with several book titles to her credit. She went further and established FEMRITE to serve as a vehicle of reclaiming the age-long female cultural role, where from the morning of time women have been the best storytellers. Mary upgraded the female   literary function from oral to a written, because a written word is both permanent and its impact to humanity knows no geographical boundaries.

Mary  was lucky to live to enjoy the fruits of her vision, because  a number of Ugandan women have now written. My mind goes to one of the past FEMRITE president, Professor Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare’ whose play” Semitego, the great hunter, “which I translated into Luganda as Semutego omuyizzi kkungwa, is an examinable Luganda book, at A’Level.  I will not mention the various ladies who have won prestigious local and international literary awards .I recall with due pride the day I adapted and translated into  Luganda  her story ” Milking the lioness”  and broadcast it in my Luganda  Ekyoto Programme  as a 15 minutes  radio  play. One of my highly respected listeners commented that “The story is a thriller and real antidote to   quarrelsome couples.” 

“Mother Hen, you came, you saw, you crowed, you inspired. You enabled hundreds of females to pen their stories with effective impact.

May you rest in peace.

Susan Arakit Malinga, Member of FEMRITE

Hon Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut was an accomplished author, play right, politician, journalist, wife, and a mother to many hence the title ‘Mother Hen.’

She carried out all these roles with utmost humility, honesty and integrity. Hon. Karooro was social, compassionate and very peaceful towards all. 

She founded many organisations among which is FEMRITE where l am a member.

She will surely be missed.

May her soul continue to rest in peace. 

Mbangose Shawa Mambwe, Associate Member of FEMRITE, Zambia

It was on my first day of attending FEMRITE Readers Writers Club, as a new member, that I first encountered Mary Karooro Okurut; not in person but through her literary works. That day, the club members were reviewing her book, The Invisible Weevil. I found it interesting and impactful, and immediately bought a copy for my personal collection; the very first book I bought in Uganda, by a Ugandan writer.

Her writing style impressed me to such an extent that I made a note to buy more of her books. When I read her profile, I was inspired by her versatility. I also learnt with admiration, that she was the founder of FEMRITE. Since then, I was hoping to have an opportunity, through FEMRITE, to meet and tap knowledge from her in the near future.

I later travelled home to Zambia and on my return in August 2025, I was saddened to learn of her passing. Although I never got the chance to meet her, she remains a legend.

Dr. Mercy Mirembe Ntangaare, Makerere University

There’s no alternative; we have to say, Good goodbye Mary!

In all sincerity, I don’t know how to begin this obituary! It’s hard to believe that it happened. My mind and heart are locked in paralysis. Mary’s departure coming so soon after my mother’s demise brings unexplainable grief and confusion to my mind. She had the middle name Mary which makes two wounds to my heart. They say, time heals. I am not sure about this. Only God will heal this pain.

Many words have been written about her. I only add mine. Many tears have been poured uncontrollably.

I met Mary officially in 1984 when she was my lecturer of Literature at Makerere University. Mary comes from my home area in Bushenyi. Our homes are just two kilometers apart so I can say that I knew her long before we met in Makerere. In our childhood, we often heard about Mary studying at Makerere University. It was a great privilege to see her, and to greet her then. You know children! Mary was certainly an approachable person; very natural, humble, and down-to-earth. She never felt downgraded by greeting and conversing with us at a personal level. She loved and spoke her mother language very well, and that’s one area she mentored me in. You can be that high and far from your home, but do not forget who you are!

Mary was also a great writer, turning something common into the extra-ordinary. I picked that from her as well. At Makerere, she often looked out for me as her young sister, even if she was my lecturer. When the opportunity arose, she extended an invitation to me to appear in her play, The Trial of Thomas Sankara. Don’t ask me what role I played but I appeared on stage for the first time in my life during that production. I was then in my first year, on the Bachelor of Arts (Arts) program where I offered Music, Dance and Drama (MDD), Literature (L), and English Language Studies (ELS). I remember that first meeting in her office at Makerere where she desired to bring women writers together and eventually birthed FEMRITE (Uganda Women Writers Association). That single step has irrevocably lifted local women writers to a global stage. Many have won international accolades because of Mary’s initiative at FEMRITE. In 2017-2019 I was happy to serve the mighty association as its Board Chair. Our remaining obligation to Mary is to live true to that vision. Let not the power of the pen fizzle out!

Mary, it’s hard to say Good Bye. But now I must. Good Bye, dear Mary. May the angels accept your natural smile and rest you for us in eternally! AMEN.

Lucille Mudenda, President, Zambia Women Writers Association (ZAWWA)

The Zambia Women Writers Association (ZAWWA) joins the Uganda Female Writers Association (FEMRITE) and rest of Africa and the global literary fraternity in mourning the passing of Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut who was a distinguished Ugandan writer, academician, politician, and indeed a visionary leader.

It goes without a doubt that as a founder of the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE), Mama Mary Karooro built a home for women’s voices and inspired countless writers across the continent especially female writers, including many in Zambia. FEMRITE has in the past, hosted members of ZAWWA for capacity building activities in writing. Indeed some of the stories by Zambian authors who participated in FEMRITE’S regional residencies and retreats are in anthologies in Uganda because both ZAWWA and FEMRITE share a commitment to fostering women’s literary expression.

Her courage to create space for women’s stories continues to resonate with ZAWWA’s mission of amplifying the voices of Zambian women through literature. Her passing is a loss not only to Uganda, but also to Zambia and to the African continent as a whole especially the women folk. Indeed her legacy will continue to live on in the writers she nurtured, the women she mentored, and the communities she empowered through both her writing and her service as a leader.

Each and every member of the Zambia Women Writers Association extends their heartfelt condolences to her family, as well as FEMRITE, the Ugandan literary community which has also been affected and indeed the people of Uganda. May her soul rest in eternal peace, and may her vision of a world where women’s voices are heard and valued continue to inspire generations to come.

Rest in power, Mary Karooro Okurut.

Maude Mugisha, Woman Activist 

Mary Karooro Okurut, focused and caring. I first met her at Bweranyangi Girls School when I joined the school for senior one in 1970. She was then in senior four. The senior four students were the most senior since the school did not have A‘level at the time.  The senor four students were given so much respect, and it was rare for senior one students to mix with them. So, at Bweranyangi, I never had an opportunity to talk to Mary. However, I always admired her from a distance.

Two things that struck me about Mary; when she walked, she always focused straight ahead and never looked down, the other was her command of English. Whenever she talked during debates, I always listened and marvelled at the way she talked so clearly and with grace.

I came to know Mary more closely when I worked at Action for Development (ACFODE) an Executive Secretary. She was a very committed member of ACFODE, very calm and caring. She was a member of the publicity committee of ACFODE. She always provided guidance on ACFODE publications and edited some of the documents. The Publicity Committee of ACFODE initiated a ‘Women’s Page’ in the New Vision Newspaper which later became the Women’s Vision.  The committee also started the publication of the Arise Magazine which for a long time was a source of information on various issue of interest to the public. Through contributing to the Arise Magazine, many ACFODE members learned to write publishable articles.

It was through the discussions on ACFODE publications that Mary shared her desire to see more women write and be published.  The then Chairperson of ACFODE Dr. Joy Kwesiga (Now Professor Kwesiga) encouraged her to follow her dream.  Mary’s dream came true when she founded the Women’s Writers Association (FEMRITE).

Mary led ACFODE’s programme called ‘the Link’ during the Constituent Assembly debates on the draft constitution. The Link programme linked communities, the media and the constituent assembly delegates, providing views of the people on issues being debates in the constituent assembly.

Through working together at ACFODE, Mary became a close friend. I consulted and confided in her.  She was a bouncing board for me in my joys and challenges, both at work and at a personal level.  I saw less of her when she joined elective politics. I only prayed for her that she would remain true to herself. I was happy when even in politics, she remained focused straight ahead beyond the politics of the day.

One time, I was supposed to travel to Cape Town, South Africa for a conference, and my passport was at the South African Embassy for a visa.  I was supposed to collect it on a Friday, and my travel was on Sunday.  I asked my secretary to pick it for me because I was at a meeting.  She forgot and when I returned after 5.00 p.m. the Embassy was closed, and I had no passport to travel.  I called Mary on Saturday morning and told her what had happened.  She told me not to worry.  She said she would do her best to get it for me.  On Saturday afternoon she called me and brought the passport to me.  I do not know how she did it but she got the passport, and I was able to travel on Sunday for a conference in Cape Town!  That was Mary, well connected and caring.  There was nothing impossible to her. She was always ready to help in any situation, and she did so with love and grace.

Enyangi Mary, rest in peace, my dear friend.

Philomena Nabweru Rwabukuku

In Honoured Memory: A Tribute to beloved Mother Hen. Meeri businge karooro okurut

I am here not in the shadow of a loss, but in the enduring light of a life that profoundly changed mine. I come to honour a friend, a sister, a mother, comrade whose absence leaves a silence that echoes louder than any noise of battle.

I remember the smile that could cut through the darkest days, the soft spoken words that always comforted, encouraged, built, the unwavering resolve in the face of adversity, and the strength that seemed to flow from her, fortifying all who encountered her. She was the steady hand, the calm voice, the one who carried more than their share so that others might bear less. In the forge of shared hardship, where ordinary bonds are melted away, what we built with her was tempered into something unbreakable—a bond of steel and spirit.

She was more than just a woman; she was the keeper of our stories, the sharer of our burdens, and the witness to our truest selves. We remember the lessons, the mentorship, the shared laughter that felt like an act of defiance, and the quiet conversations that spoke volumes. She taught us the true meaning of loyalty, through words, through action. She defined courage, not as an absence of fear, but as the will to stand fast. She built womanhood, sisterhood, friendship. She mothered authors, she defeated shame. She birthed female authorship. 

Her mission continues, for the legacy she leaves behind lives on.  For she lived with purpose, with honour, and with profound love for those who crossed her path, and all she put her mind to. 

I will carry her with me in every step I take. I will see her strength in my own resilience, her laughter in our shared memories, and her dedication in my continued creativity. The world may feel dimmer without her light, but I am tasked now to be the bearer of that torch to live with the same integrity, to champion the same values, and to embody whatever she stood for. 

So I say, for now, fare thee well, dear friend. Your life is etched into very many hearts, not as a wound, but as a badge of honour. I’ll not intone a dirge.  Your sweet memory calls no dirges. So, Rest thee well Comrade. May you live among the stars and always twinkle whenever I manage to recite a poem or intone a song. It was so good while it lasted.

Goodbye Meeri beloved 

*You will never be forgotten.*

Martina Nagasha, Student, Makerere Universty

I had never had the precious opportunity of meeting the late Mary Karooro Okurut in person, however I managed to meet her in her works, such as The Curse of the sacred cow, which I read as a young teenager in high school and had a really hard time comprehending.

I also met a part of her at FEMRITE which has been a home for me during my undergraduate years. A safe space, a place where women support other women, a place where we can sit down at dusk in between teas and have controversial conversations. I may never have met Mary Karooro Okurut in person but I did meet her in the warmth of the women at FEMRITE, in her literary works. As a politician, writer, teacher, activist, Mary Karooro Okurut has built a lasting legacy that will continue to live on long after her physical presence. 

Diana Nakijjoba, Member of FEMRITE

You were the light of our path,

We looked up to you with warm hearts.

Now we don’t know what’s next.

Maybe we’ll find ways, maybe we’ll try.

You gave us so much of yourself –

Not riches, but your time and care.

We’ll miss you deeply.

We did not say goodbye.

Our hearts felt a sudden sorrow.

How do we move forward?

We’ll remember you with joy,

Talking of the good things you did.

You were kind and loving,

Your smile was like morning sunshine.

You cared deeply for this work,

You gave it your time and passion.

We wanted to do more with you,

Walk together, hand in hand.

Thank God for the dreams we shared.

We will achieve them, remembering you.

Missing you will feel like a quiet pain,

But maybe we’ll meet again in hopes gentle rain.

Maybe you’ll smile seeing us succeed,

In plans we talked of in our meetings.

Nakisanze Ssegawa, Member of FEMRITE and journalist with Global Press Institute

The first time I met Mary Karooro Okurut was over 20 years ago, in 1999. I was in senior one, around the age of thirteen. I met her through her book, Child of a Delegate. I remember picking the book from a collection of many books that my rural public day and boarding school in Rakai district had in our small library. I did not pick Child of a Delegate because the cover was interesting, neither did I pick it because it was referred to me by a fellow student. I picked it because I was intrigued by her name, which read familiar, sounded Ugandan. I had never read a Ugandan author. I had read some books by other African authors, and they stood out for me. They had characters I could relate to; the places I could somehow imagine were like those I knew. They opened my mind about what it was like to be Okonkwo in Nigeria, Mbatha in Kenya, Ramatoulaye in Senegal, Zuma in South Africa. These were beautiful stories, but they were not Ugandan. That is how I picked Child of a Delegate.

Just like in human relationships, the first lover is quite unforgettable. And so is Hero, the protagonist in Child of a Delegate. She was the first Ugandan I met in literature. Hero was real to me. I saw her the few times I visited and moved through the streets of Kampala with my mother, my father’s wife. Hero didn’t only appear in my imagination, she was there-tall, skinny, ashy, kinky haired, dark skin with hunger and thirst in her eyes. Her hands raised, spread out to any stranger who appeared kind, asking for money so she would buy something to eat. Hero was that child I wanted to rescue, but could not because I was a dependant myself.

Through Karooro’s simple style of storytelling, describing places that I already travelled to, saw, breathed – struck me with the idea of perhaps becoming a writer one day. I was already good at telling stories to my fellow students during night time, re-counting movie scenes and actors’ brilliant performances and characters and places as I encountered in books. When done with a story, I would take their questions to explain everything, just to satisfy their curiosity. I remember telling them about, For Mbatha and Rebecca, a Kenyan story and Diamonds, a Botswana story: two African fictional love stories. To date, they are my favourite African romance fictional texts. And then came Child of a Delegate, a mix of struggle, romance, resilience, endurance, determination, self-assurance and perseverance – the best way to be introduced to Ugandan literature.

Years later, I was thrilled to learn that Child of a Delegate was to be adapted into a TV show. I couldn’t wait to see Hero on TV. Finally, she was being brought to me in motion. But when I saw Phillip Luswata’s interpretation and presentation of Hero, I was more than disappointed. On screen Luswata’s Hero was never close to what Karooro’s brilliant writing had planted in my head. Luswata’s Hero had relaxed hair, nice clothes, shiny skin and spoke English with an accent of a child raised in Kololo. I wondered what Karooro thought of Luswata’s production, and only hoped she shared my frustration of the distortion of my first favourite Ugandan fictional character.

Karooro did not only introduce me to an interesting Ugandan story, she inspired me to read more Ugandan stories, and I read more and more of them to the extent of tracing publishers of some of her books and other Ugandan books. That is how years later I located FEMRITE, an association of women writers in Uganda. I visited the office to learn more about writing, the possibility of getting published and of course learn about more Ugandan writers. While at FEMRITE, I got to learn that Karooro was the founder of the organisation. I decided to join FEMRITE.

The first time, I met Mary Karooro Okurut was at one of the literature events organised by FEMRITE at a hotel in Kampala. I watched her walk into the room, not too fast, not to slow, self-assured, like she’d been there before. She walked alongside two women, both administers at FEMRITE, talking to them briefly before she was ushered in to a sit as a guest of honour- a middle aged woman, beautiful, smiling and nodding to what was being said to her. Her hair was short, combed out to make a mini afro. Her neckless, adorned with yellow beads. Her body covered with a coat and a shirt, both which colour I don’t recall. She gave her speech about the importance of teaching and promoting Ugandan literature and confessed to teaching a William Shakespeare text at Makerere University, her former workplace, without really understanding what it was.

The audience was sent into laughter. That was honest. What that translated to me was the importance of spreading our stories. Not that it is bad to learn about other cultures, but it’s imperative, if not even more, to have the knowledge of self, first. By this time, she had stopped teaching and entered into the political space, a woman Member of Parliament and state minister in government. Perhaps it’s the position that she held that stopped me from going to her as she interacted with other attendees, to ask what she thought of Phillip Luswata’s on screen interpretation of Hero.

I have written one book and it’s now coming to 10 years since it was published. When I am asked why I don’t have another, I indulge myself in the same excuse that I don’t even believe any more – that I am busy looking for money in my journalism practice, that because writing doesn’t pay bills, especially in Uganda and so on. But Karooro, wrote even more after joining politics. She had become busier, but she continued to write, contributing to government and private newspapers as a guest writer and still published fiction. In Uganda’s political scene, she wasn’t as vocal as she was the literary space.

Today Karooro is with her ancestors, but in Uganda’s writing community, particularly at FEMRITE, she is a mother to many female writers. As it is at FEMRITE – she is our Mother Hen and we are her chicks. Her vision for a community dedicated to women writers did help many, including I. She will always be remembered.

I met Karooro many times. And my regret is not being able to ask her what her thoughts were about the talents Phillip Luswata’s presentation of Hero.

Dr. Sr. Nakiwala, Senior Lecturer – Kyambogo University

Mary is gone to the Lord. I have to accept and let her go to rest in eternal peace. Despite her intelligence and beauty, Mary had an unassuming personality. She was kind and understanding. She loved us as her students of 1986. She welcomed us and taught us Shakespeare in a manner that made us love rather than fear the bard. Mary was a mother and teacher, whence shall there be another Mary Karooro! Rest in peace Mary. May Jesus show you his Holy Face.

Hon. Dr. Joyce Nalunga – Birimumaaso, President, Female Lawyers’ Network

The Female Lawyers’ Network joins the family, friends, and wider community in mourning the passing of our dear sister, Mary Karooro Okurut, whose life was a powerful testimony of courage, intellect, and service.

Mary was more than a mother; she was a visionary writer, a transformational leader, a nurturing mentor, and a tireless activist whose voice championed justice and equality. Her writings captured the realities of women in law and society, inspiring generations to pursue knowledge, empowerment, and resilience. Through her articles, speeches, and publications, she challenged stereotypes and called for a just world where women’s voices are not only heard but respected.

As a leader, Mary served with integrity, humility, and passion. She believed in collective action and built bridges that brought together women, policymakers, and communities. Her leadership style reflected empathy and inclusivity, ensuring no one was left behind in the struggle for justice and equity.

She was also a mentor to many. Mary invested her time in guiding young women, encouraging them to believe in their abilities and to rise above challenges. Many of us in the Female Lawyers’ Network carry her words of encouragement, her wisdom, and her relentless faith in the power of women.

Her activism was not confined to the media; it extended to the streets, the boardrooms, and the halls of policy. She was a fearless advocate for women’s rights, electoral justice, and good governance. She understood that true justice must be lived and practiced daily, not just spoken in media.

The Female Lawyers’ Network honours her life, her contribution, and her unwavering spirit. While her physical presence is no longer with us, her legacy lives on in the countless women she mentored, the policies she influenced, and the lives she touched.

Rest well, dear sister. You ran your race with dignity and strength. We will continue the work you so passionately began.

Glaydah Namukasa, Former Chairperson of FEMRITE (2014-2017), PhD Candidate Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine

Mary, to us women writers, you have been a nurturer of dreams. You started FEMRITE not just as an organization, but as a safe space where women’s voices could take root and flourish. You believed in the power of stories to transform societies, to heal wounds, and to open possibilities.

You hatched us, Mother Hen, nurtured us, and believed in us.

I stand here as one of the many whose writing careers were shaped by your vision. When I joined FEMRITE, I was a young woman with stories in my heart but unsure of their place in the world. At FEMRITE I found not only my voice but the courage to share it with the world.

Your legacy is in the confidence you built in us as women writers you inspired to write boldly, to tell our truths, and to take up space in the literary world without fear, without apology.

Mary, you have left a multitude of voices that will continue to speak through the pen. We mourn your passing, but we also celebrate your life in service to literature, to women, and to the belief that every story matters.

Mary, to us women writers, you will always remain a nurturer of dreams.

Anita Ngabirano, Member of FEMRITE

Mary Karooro Okurut, as the founder of FEMRITE, paved the way for women writers to have a community where we could share our stories, grow our voices, and support one another. She made us to be seen, celebrated our creativity, and nurtured a space where our writing mattered. Her legacy lives on through all of us, in every word we write and every story we dare to tell.

Beverley N. Nsengiyunva, Founder and Director, Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation

I remember in the year 2001 when my first article appeared in the Sunday Monitor. I walked around everywhere with the clip and proudly showed Mary Karooro Okurut.

Her response: ‘So, you’re one of us? Congratulations!’

Mother Hen raised the standards of professionalism in writing, and for me, I am enthusiastic and driven with my writing and with leading others onto this impassioned and rewarding journey, because of the foundation that she laid.

Thank you for your service.

Christine Nsiimenta, Women and Gender Studies scholar

In the heart of Bushenyi, lies Ntambiko Crafts centre founded by the late Mary Karooro Okurut (RIP). This haven of artistry not only showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Banyakole people but also serves as a testament to her power of innovation for community-driven initiatives.

Through Ntambiko Crafts Centre, Karooro has empowered countless individuals particularly women and the youth, by equipping them with valuable skills in craft-making. This initiative has not only provided means of livelihood but also instilled a sense of purpose and confidence in those who are part of it.

The centre’s impact extends beyond the economic realm, as it plays a vital role in preserving the cultural identity of the people of Ankole. Her dedication to empowering her community is further exemplified by her initiatives such as the sanitary pad factory which aims at keeping girls in school and to promote menstrual health.

As we pay tribute to Karooro, we appreciate Ntambiko Crafts Centre, which reflects the resilience and determination of its community. Her legacy showcases the transformative power of art, culture and community-driven initiatives.

Continue resting with Angels Mary.

Margaret Ntakalimaze, one of the Founding Members of FEMRITE

The passing on of our dearest Mother Hen has shocked us. It is so sad that we are now motherless. May her soul rest in peace. We shall never forget her.

Julius Ocwinyo, Novelist, Uganda

I first met Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut when my first book, Fate of the Banished, had just been published in 1997. It was a Monday, and she and I had converged at the FEMRITE premises on Kira Road, Kampala, to attend a Readers/Writers meet. I come from a region in Uganda where people don’t do social hugs, so I was quite surprised when she gave me one such hug, and in a manner that made me feel like we had known each for a long time. I would afterwards engage with her on a number of projects and activities, most of them to do with writing and books.

I have met many people whose real nature is carefully hidden behind a veneer of civility and pleasantness, even friendliness. In Mary’s case, however, what you saw was what you got. She was warm-hearted, humble, compassionate and genuine. Above all, she was accessible. I remember calling her one time when she was a Cabinet Minister about something that required her input. I was pleasantly surprised that, despite her being terribly busy, she could still instantly respond to my call! The second time I called her, she said she was busy but would call back; and a few hours later, she did.

At her funeral service at All Saints’ Cathedral, Kampala, I felt that the sombre atmosphere and the tears I saw being shed were a genuine reflection of the amount of love the congregants had for her. In fact, while signing the condolence book, I was shocked to see standing next to me an elderly lady from my neighbourhood whom I didn’t suspect had even heard of her. Her remark about Mary was simple, yet powerful: “Mary was a good person.” I couldn’t agree more.

I own a copy of Mary’s novel, The Switch, centred on female genital mutilation, autographed by her. It is, and will continue to be, one of my most precious possessions.

Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng, Woman Activist

I met Mary through Jessica Nkuuhe (R.I.P), they were great friends. That was before Mary joined the Presidential press unit. A free woman she was. From that time, whenever we met without Jessica we could chat as if she had known me for years.  The chat was from personal being, asking me how my kids were fairing and wanting to know what they like most. She then picked out the leadership aspects and challenged me to build it up in my three kids. Mary loved children and wanted each child she came to know to build personal leadership and confidence and know justice. I liked her for that because she shared with me quite a number of ways to groom a child including building faith which I know was key, since that is been the path my parents guided me through.

When Mary moved to the ministry of Gender, she became my guide whenever I planned to involve government institutions in our work. I did this because of the few times I could visit her in her office and listen to the different categories of stake holders. From presidency to the leadership at her village level, from individuals in the women’s movement to those in the private sector. Mary built a formidable network. So while at Isis-WICCE, when we came up with the idea of starting the Peace Exposition, where we brought together a cross section of individuals, elite and the vulnerable, technical personals, local leadership and ministers. Mary shared with me tactics of how to bring in the non-NGO community and it surely worked.

Mary worked towards a peaceful Uganda and surely she has left a mark. May God receive her with mercy.

Dr Wale Okediran, Secretary General, Pan-African Writers Association

The Pan-African Writers Association mourns the passing of Mary Karooro Okurut. Mary Busingye Karooro Okurut, (12 July 1954- 11 August 2025), was a Ugandan author and politician. At one time she served as Minister of Security, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and Cabinet Minister in charge of General Duties in the office of the Prime Minister in the Ugandan cabinet.

An Author of many literature books some of which are taught in Ugandan secondary schools and tertiary institutions, Mary was also the founder of FEMRITE, the Ugandan Women Writers Association.

Her contributions to the development of Literature, Education and Women Rights especially in East Africa will forever be etched in the annals of history.

May her dear soul rest in perfect peace.

Barbara Oketta, Member of FEMRITE

My kind of Feminist

The kind that leaves footprints with no clout

No gatherings, No clapping, No nothing!

Yet my kind of feminist

The one that gathers, feeds, gives,

-and gives again.

I heard your pen speak

Admired your silent strength

Dropping-and-picking pen

I heard you speak for women-

Of the pads Factory in Bushenyi

And your Pandemic leadership

But this Mother Hen

Of how you hatched FEMRITE

Gathering penners

We met over tea

Formed forever sisters, brothers, and in-betweens

Uganda will never forget, your insightful columns

Shaping world perspectives

You taught us to walk away- gracefully,

Surely,

We celebrate –

You unafraid!

You uncorrupt!

You silent power!

Mother Hen,

Okatooranwa!

Fair thee well

Martin Okia, Chairman – Uganda Publishers Association

I mourn but celebrate the life of my friend and Aunt, Mary Karooro Okurut. I first met her in 1995 at UMA showgrounds where Uganda Publisher and Booksellers Association (UPABA) had organized a Book Fair Exhibition during the UMA Trade Show. I was then working as an Administrative officer of UPABA. She was excited to see a variety of locally written and published books. 

Our next physical encounter was at an international Book sector conference at the current Serena Hotel in 1996. During the conference, I displayed several tittles of various publishers including her own titles published by Fountain Publishers. She was happy to see one of the foreign guests perusing one of her books. She appreciated the work we do to promote authors. This time she was keen to get more details about me. She did not know that I was equally excited to meet and associate with her. After introducing myself, she also introduced herself in details and that is when I realized she was married to an Etesot husband. I was happy to hear that and being an Etesot myself, from that day onwards, I used to call her Aunt Mary. 

The relationship grew stronger in 1997 when I joined Monitor Publishers Ltd as the Publishing manager. Apart from being a columnist in the Monitor Newspaper, she also gave us two of her titles, Child of a delegate and Milking the Lioness. I was one of the editors who for the two manuscripts. Since that time, we often met and participated in several Book sector workshops and Book fairs, both within and outside Uganda. 

The last time I physically met Aunt Mary was in 2020 at Kampala International Book fair where she represented the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mama Janet Kataaha Museveni, as the Chief Guest. She was happy to meet again, we talked about Child of a delegate book. She told me she was going to work on the revised edition of the book to include some aspects to make it better.

Aunt Mary was more than a celebrated writer. She was not only a literary luminary, she was an icon, a woman endowed with a wealth of wit and wisdom. Her literary works were cross-cutting for all, including Novels, Short stories, Poetry, Essays, Children Literature and Newspapers articles.’’ And above all, Aunt Mary founded the Uganda Women Writers Association (FEMRITE), which has lived the test of time in inspiring both female writers and male writers as well. 

Aunt Mary you will be forever remembered for the footmarks you left on the Uganda Book Industry. 

May Your Soul Rest in Eternal Peace. 

Till we meet again. 

Imela Oyono Ayingono, Writer, Member of The Pan-African Writers Association, Equatorial Guinea

We honour Mary Karooro Okurut, because she is a writer whose voice continues to inspire and resonate across Africa and beyond. As a writer from Equatorial Guinea, it is important for me to contribute to preserving and celebrating her legacy within the African literary community for the important work she did in amplifying African women’s voices.

Mary Karooro Okurut was more than a writer. She was a force of words, a guardian of memory, and an architect of futures. With her pen, she gave voice to the silenced and carved a firm place for women on Africa’s literary map. She showed us that storytelling is not only art, but also dignity, resistance, and freedom.

Her legacy lies not only in the books she wrote, but in the courage she awakened in others to tell their own truths.

Mary Karooro Okurut’s voice does not end here. It echoes—strong, tender, and unyielding—reminding us that literature can be a refuge, a mirror, and a weapon of hope.

Joseph Rwagatare, Kigali, Rwanda

It is more than a month ago, since Mary Karooro Okurut went to her maker. In my part of the world we say, “Yitabye imaana; She answered God’s summons.” She cannot have been worried about the summons. Her maker, however inclined to finding fault he might be, cannot fault her for not putting to full use the time and talents he granted her.

She has left behind a rich legacy of service to humanity – in academia, the literary world, politics and public service, and above all as an ordinary human being. On entry into her new abode, she must have been met with a big, warm “well done, my daughter”, not a stern glare of disapproval and dismissal to an unwanted place. It is a fitting reception for a person whose warmth of appreciation and encouragement was her hallmark and touched many.

I met Mary Karooro in a seminar room at Makerere University in the late 1970s. We were both students of literature, she a graduate student and I a final year undergraduate. She was leading a tutorial on poetry. She asked me for my emotional reaction to a certain poem. I replied that I didn’t know, that I really did not know how to show emotion.

She said, “You? When your face is an open book?”

I was sure my face wasn’t that open. I thought it was inscrutable. Perhaps a comforting thought to cover my shyness. And anyway, who was this girl telling me about me? I would normally have protested. I did not. The way she said it stopped me.

She said it in a warm, soothing voice that could have pulled down the toughest defences or softened a real macho guy, not this pretender. She did not reproach or rebuke. She was encouraging, instead. Trying to put me at ease. Which she did. I then fashioned some kind of response to her original question.

That was Mary Karooro. She had that ability to make you relax, but without letting you off the hook if there was something you had to do and had not.

I met her again about twenty years later, again at Makerere University. This time not in a tutorial but at a FEMRITE event – the launch of a delightful anthology of short stories titled, A Woman’s Voice. In those intervening years, she had taught at Makerere and founded FEMRITE, an association of Uganda women writers.

She had not changed. Yes, she had matured and was more self-assured and many accomplishments. But she still had the same warm, comforting and encouraging voice. I could see why and how she had mentored many young women writers and coaxed older ones into writing wonderful stories. Little wonder they called her Mother Hen.

I picked up a copy of the anthology. I liked what I read and decided to do a newspaper review of it. I did not know that I had that ability – rather like the emotion I did not know I could express until that challenge from Mary Karooro.  Her magic worked again, aided by my friend Hilda Twongyeirwe’s delightful story in the anthology, and I found myself writing the review.

You could say Karooro mentored me too, perhaps indirectly, but effectively nonetheless.

That review started a relationship between me and FEMRITE that endures to this day. I did other reviews, even gave my two pennies worth to a revision of her novel, The Invisible Weevil.

Karooro then left academia and joined public service and then politics. I did not think she was cut for the rough and tumble of politics, and in the Ugandan context, violence. But then perhaps politics needed her kind of person – a calming influence, a sense of reason and balance, sanity, and a sense of humour.

And perhaps she did, only the other horrible influences refused to give way. The fact that she did not get seriously bruised or suffer serious injury in her new occupation is testament to her ability to be in the fray and stay out of it as well.

We met again, not at an academic or literary event, but at State House Nakasero. She was Uganda’s minister of information and I was part of President Paul Kagame’s visiting delegation. She was the MC at the signing ceremony of several MOUs between the Government of Uganda and the Government of Rwanda.

This is normally not an exciting occasion; it is actually boring, but she spiced it with a lot of humour, much of it drawn from her Runyankore heritage that had the usually unsmiling ministers and other government officials laughing throughout the event.

Mary Karooro Okurut has now gone to her maker. She is probably already at work, mentoring, comforting and bringing laughter. From there she can look back at her legacy and be pleased with what she sees. FEMRITE is strong. A woman’s voice is heard and heeded. Writing has firmly taken root. There are many more Mother Hens. The only regret is that the politics is still messy and getting messier.

Still, she can rest in peace, assured that her time on earth was well-spent.

Henry Ssemiyingo, Student at Hindira Ghandi National Open University – New Delhi – India

Some lives make such deep imprints that when they depart, their voices continue to echo through the generations they touched. Mary Karooro Okurut was one of those rare figures. To some, she was a writer, to others, a politician, teacher, and mentor. But to all who knew her, she was resilient and loving – the “Mother Hen,” a name befitting her role as the founding spirit behind FEMRITE, Uganda Women Writers’ Association, and her nurturing nature that uplifted all who came into her orbit.

Mary lived many lives in one. She was a writer of courage, an intellectual, and a servant leader who believed deeply in the power of the pen. For her, literature was never a hobby; it was a calling. She wielded words as tools of liberation, education, and healing. In her novels, essays, and poems, she addressed political issues, socio-cultural challenges, and family dynamics, always highlighting women’s emancipation and empowerment.

Through FEMRITE, Mary broke new ground. At a time when women’s stories were easily dismissed, she created a platform where female voices could flourish. She encouraged women to write about politics, love, family, pain, and hope without apology. Many Ugandan women writers found their footing through FEMRITE, making the association one of her greatest legacies. In this way, Mary was more than just a writer, she was a shaper of generations.

Her leadership was marked by humility and service. She carried herself with simplicity, never letting political office or public status overshadow her humanity. Those who met her remember her smile, laughter, and ability to listen. She gave dignity to every role she played, teaching us that leadership is not about power but about responsibility.

Mary’s writings reflected both courage and compassion. She tackled corruption, betrayal, and silenced voices, while also celebrating love, resilience, and the dreams of ordinary people. Reading her work felt like listening to a mother, firm yet kind, always intent on guiding and shaping character. She believed that literature could instil morality, spark critical thought, and bring out the best in society.

Beyond her professional life, Mary was known as a joyful and nurturing mother. Her

Motherhood extended beyond children to young writers, colleagues, and community members. She mothered through encouragement, guidance, and selfless giving. Like a true Mother Hen, she combined tenderness with firmness, shielding those under her care while preparing them to stand strong on their own.

Her life was marked by sacrifice and love. She gave tirelessly to her people and her country, believing in a Uganda where men and women stood as equals. Her resilience was unshakable, her simplicity profound. She did not need to shout to be heard; her actions spoke louder than words, and her humility carried more power than her authority.

Remembering Mary is remembering hope. Her legacy lives on in the books she wrote, the writers she nurtured, and the countless lives she touched. She reminds us that greatness is measured not in years but in love, sacrifice, and service. Though she is gone, the Mother Hen still shelters us under her wings, urging us to write, to serve, to love, and to never give up.

Lilllian Tindyebwa, one of the Founding Members of FEMRITE  

Fond memories of a friend, a trailblazer, a role model – Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut.

I cannot exactly say when I first heard of her, but I knew her by name before I met her. Later we were contemporaries at Makerere University. But our story really starts in 1994, when our books were launched at the same time by Fountain Publishers Ltd. Hers, was The curse of the Sacred Cow and mine was Recipe for Disaster. Together with us was Prof Timothy Wangusa and his book was a collection of poetry titled: A Pattern of Dust. It was a moment marked by history where two women’s books were launched at the same time by a leading Ugandan publisher. Uganda was still emerging from the years of anarchy when the post-independence development had been arrested by armed robbers of destiny, but now everything was sprouting afresh, be it writing, be it publishing, politics, or business.

A few months after the launch of the books, I received a note from Mary Karooro Okurut, inviting me for a meeting to discuss the formation of FEMRITE. It sounded very good, so I marked the date and I attended. As they say, the rest is history!

This was the first time I got to work quite closely with her and continued until she got too busy after getting into leadership at national level, becoming a Member of Parliament and a Cabinet Minister. It was during this time that I discovered what a national treasure this woman really was! I remember her mostly as a super visionary, a role model, a great fighter for women and a leader of great calibre, who rose to the position of Cabinet minister and a Member of Parliament. There are many attributes I could add but at this point, I am not writing a book about her! At least not yet! I am simply remembering this great person that God gave us for a short time and took her back so quickly!

She was a super visionary! After her first book which was, The Curse of the Sacred Cow, her seer eye saw it, that Ugandan women writers were beginning to come up, but needed a great force to push them up. It came to her mind and she understood the importance of an organization that would bring women writers together, the backbone of women writing Uganda, and their pillar of strength. As the Runyankole/Rukiga saying goes: Agakwateine nigo gata eigufa, meaning that the teeth that come together can easily break the bone, which implies that unity is strength.

She did not bring the women together to just make a name for herself like some do and then move on. She really wanted to see it working and making a difference! More inaugural meetings at the Literature department in Makerere, the development of the organization was super-fast. Every time we met, our vision bearer had something major to report, within no time, FEMRITE had funding, small as it may have been, we knew that, as the Runyankole/Rukiga saying goes: ‘Oruga okuzimu tagaya mushana’ meaning that she/he who is coming from a pit cannot complain that the sunshine is lukewarm today!’ So whatever little FEMRITE had received to begin with, to us it was heaven smiling down at us!

Soon, there was a tiny office, but as I said, it was great because we had somewhere to meet from! Soon decisions were made and a magazine, ‘New Era” was to launched. Each of us had an article or a poem to include to grace its pages! Indeed, women had been overflowing with themes and topics to communicate to the world and they poured out like a river that had burst banks! She was not done yet! Soon after, another idea was born. FEMRITE would not be impactful without getting its own publishing wing! Lo and behold, in 1998, FEMRITE Publications Ltd (FPL); the publishing arm of FEMRITE was born and the four pioneer publications came out. A Woman’s Voice, which was a collection of stories from almost every member at the time, was very exciting! There were also two novels, and one poetry collection, all coming out at once!

The following year in 1999, five more titles came tumbling out, after and these included four novels and one poetry collection. One of them was the Invisible Weevil by Mary Karooro Okurut.

The women had written and lacked a publisher and now, thanks to her visionary leadership and her concern for women, those women who write and would write in the future, would never lack a publisher again. FEMRITE, Uganda Women Writers Association was now firm on its feet!

She was a fighter for women and women’s rights, both through her writing and through her political work. When we look at the themes in her books, there is always something related to women’s empowerment in a world where patriarchy dominates and stifles women’s voices.

She was a literary giant and a General whose preferred style of combat was through her powerful pen. Her pen was her tongue, and it was her gun! Through it, she has waged all kinds of wars, whether political, social and gender wars. In addition to books, she had a regular page in the New Vision newspaper and this has been going for as long as I can remember! Hers was a pen whose ink never dried. She wrote more books but she refused to publish them with FEMRITE so that it would not look like she was publishing herself only! The truth was that she was moving faster than everyone else.

She wrote books, the column in the newspapers, it never closed, under the claim of being too busy; and she still remained a wife and mother to many! How many hours, oh Mary, did you have in your typical day!

She was a type of leader whose approach was selfless, and as soon as FEMRITE was firmly on its feet, it was time for her to look elsewhere to direct her energy. Being a teacher, she wanted to see people especially women, grow, develop and be able to stand on their own.

Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut, inspirational leader, successive cabinet minister, you who opened new doors for women to enter spaces whose doors had hitherto been slammed shut against them; we shall miss you greatly, we shall miss your calm demeanour that masked strength of spirit and a feisty determination. The books you have left in print testify of the brilliance of your mind and your unique ability and confidence of bringing forth into the world what you believed in and dedicated your life to. You are greatly missed, but we remember you with affection and great respect for being a role model and a trailblazer.

Rest in Peace. May the angels play for you a symphony of victory! 

Prof. Timothy Wangusa, Former lecturer, Makerere University

Valediction

‘Mother of God’, as I fondly and unfailingly used to call you: the works of your heart and hands humbly, faithfully, and valiantly accompany you. Especially, let the products of your exemplary pencraft say to you, “Quintessence of Everywoman, I will go with you and be your guide; and I will be by your side when – the trumpet call suddenly summons one an all to appear before the awesome, ineffable, divine ‘Throne of Justice and Mercy’.” So be it!  

Joyce Wolayo, Entrepreneur, Member of FEMRITE 

Mary Karooro Okurut was one of those remarkable writers we deeply admired—tirelessly producing titles even while serving in demanding government roles. As a member of the Board, she embodied hope, guiding us through administrative challenges with grace and strength. Her spirit ignited a flame of passion and left behind a legacy that continues to touch us all.

She stepped away from the political spotlight to nurture the dreams she had planted. She was driven not by wealth, but by a burning desire to leave her mark on the world. At countless FEMRITE conferences and book launches, she inspired fellow feminist writers with her presence, words, and unwavering commitment.

In a world where the struggles of writing and success can weigh us down, Mary Karooro remained an inspiration. She showed us what can happen when passion leads the way.

One lesson she leaves us with is: when others ask us to dim our light, to hide in the shadows, Mary Karooro boldly reminded us to shine, and to shine brightly, fearlessly, and powerfully. That is the legacy I carry with me whenever I think of her.

May her soul rest in eternal peace.