The former minister, senior presidential advisor, and acclaimed Ugandan author Mary Karooro Okurut has died at the age of 70.
The news of her passing was announced on Monday by her long-time friend and fellow politician, Hon. Margaret Muhanga, in a heartfelt message on X (formerly Twitter):
“With so much pain, grief & sorrow, I announce the death of my ‘bosom buddy’ Mary Karooro Okurut. My literature teacher, my mentor, my very close buddy, my world, my all. So painful to imagine. This is a sting I’ll never forget.”
Muhanga did not disclose the cause of death, and it remained unclear at the time of publication.
Born on December 8, 1954, in Bushenyi District, Karooro was a distinguished figure in both Uganda’s political and literary circles. She attended Bweranyangi Girls’ Senior Secondary School and Trinity College Nabbingo, before earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s degree in Literature, along with a Diploma in Education, from Makerere University.
She lectured in literature at Makerere for over a decade before entering public service. Her early roles included serving as Press Secretary to the Vice President (1994–1996), and later to the President (1999–2004).
Karooro represented Bushenyi District as Woman MP from 2004 to 2021. She also served in various cabinet roles, including Minister of Information and National Guidance, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Minister for National Security, and Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister.
In 2021, she was appointed Senior Presidential Advisor on Public Relations.
Outside politics, Karooro was a trailblazer in Uganda’s literary scene. She founded the Uganda Women Writers’ Association (FEMRITE), which mentored a generation of female writers, including Caine Prize winner Monica Arac de Nyeko.
Her literary contributions include the novels The Invisible Weevil (1998) and The Official Wife (2003), as well as children’s books and anthologies such as A Woman’s Voice (1998), a landmark collection of short stories by Ugandan women writers.
Karooro was widely respected for her lifelong advocacy on gender equality, education, and the promotion of literature in Uganda.
