Mary Karooro Okurut: A gifted poet whose library stands

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Busingye Mary Karooro Okurut, who died aged 70, has been honored for leaving behind a literary works as part of Uganda’s literature. She has been described a great writer who inspired many female writers in Uganda.

Mary Karooro Okurut founded FEMRITE – the non-governmental organisation supporting women writers in Uganda. Mary Karooro Okurut wrote seven books.

They included, The Invisible Weevil, The Official Wife, The curse of the sacred cow, A Woman’s Voice, Child of a delegate, The Switch, Milking a lioness and other stories.

“Library not burnt” 

James Rwehabura Tumusiime, the founder and Managing Director of Fountain Publishers expressed gratitude that the late left most of her thoughts in published form.

“In English, they used to mock Africans. That when a leader in Africa dies, a library burns down. Now Karooro has saved us that tragic paradigm, “said Tumusiime whose publishing house published most of Mary Karooro Okurut’s books.

“We think people who put their ideas down help our culture, help our people to perpetuate their philosophies, their cultural background. And their wisdom and pass it on to their children” said Tumusiime the founder of IgongoCultural Centre, a popular place in Mbarara that showcases the Nkore artifacts among others.

“Mary was ahead of her time. She wrote those books long before she joined politics. So I;m very grateful that she was able to do that. She has left us a legacy, she has left the wisdom and I’m sure it help the future generations to appreciate the culture,” he said.

Mary Karooro Okurut had started Ntambiko, a cultural display area in Bushenyi rooted in the culture of Igara. Jocelyne Kakuyo Rugunda, the wife of former Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda, speaking on behalf of friends at funeral held All Saint Cathedral said Mary Karooro Okurut was a gifted poet.

“She had away with words that was both bold and beautiful. She wrote as she saw truthfully. She wrote her feelings from her feelings fearlessly and with deep conviction”

Busingye Mary Karooro Okurut went to Bweranyangi Girls around late sixties to early seventies. She was the patron of Bweranyangi Old Girls Association.

Former Mitooma Woman MP, Jovah Kamateeka, remembers that Karooro was a great actor and debater who acted as Lady Macbeth.    Writing from exile, poetess and researcher, Dr Stella Nyanzi testified that Karooro Okurut was her first lecturer of African poetry at Makerere University in 1993.

“She fanned aflame my love for poetry written in Africa by Africans on themes pertaining to our continent, people and values. She helped mature my skills as a writer of poetry. I always scored very highly in her exams,” Nyanzi wrote.

“Over 20 years later, when dictator Museveni imprisoned me on two different occasions for my nasty poems criticising him, I wondered why Mary Karooro Okurut did not explain to him the power of African feminist poetry. After all, she was his loyal cabinet minister for almost two decades. How could a poet she taught be imprisoned for poetry when she was a darling cabinet minister to the president angered by the poems?”

That aside, Nyanzi Ugandan women writers have lost a role model and mentor. “Mary Karooro Okurut was not only a published novelist, but she also founded FEMRITE – the non-governmental organisation supporting women writers in Uganda. Ugandan women politicians have lost a forerunner. She was a fierce contestant in elective national politics, who won the race for Bushenyi Woman Member of Parliament riding on both clean and dirty campaign strategies. May my poetry teacher rest well”     What caused Karooro’s death?

There has been a contradicting account of lead to what appeared like a sudden death of the former minister who also served for long as the press secretary to the president.

Dr Simon Luzige, a physician at Nakasero hospital told mourners the Mary Karooro died of a lung-related complication leading to multiple organ failure. He said that Karooro Okurut did not want her health conditions to be discussed.

But due to the contradictions Dr. Luzige said he had to seek for permission of the Medical Council to speak about her medical condition. He said the multiple organ failure was sparked by died of a chronic lung condition known as Sarcoidosis. It isa condition that causes tiny collections of immune system cells in any part of the body. 

Karooro’s sister elder sister, Elizabeth Sherura revealed that she had lived with that conditions for close to fifteen years. She had received treatment from South Africa, Dubai and more recently in Nairobi where she died on Monday.

Former Director General of Health Services, Dr. Francis Omaswa said the disease is very rare but very difficult to manage.

Complication tends to lead to lung and kidney problems. Busingye Mary Karooro Okurut was married toStanislaus Okurut who passed in 2014.

She did not have biological children but many have testified that she supported many children from her side and the side of her late husband.

Charles Omaswa one of the elders from Teso said she was a unifying factor in the family. “She did not segregate everybody, she loved the Teso Community. Had it not been the rebellion, mummy would have been a perfectionist in Ateso speaking. She did not divide the children”

Stanislaus Okurut who passed in 2014. She did not have biological children but many have testified that she supported many children from her side and the side of her late husband. Charles Omaswa one of the elders from Teso said she was a unifying factor in the family.

“She did not segregate everybody, she loved the Teso Community. Had it not been the rebellion, mummy would have been a perfectionist in Ateso speaking. She did not divide the children”

Mary Karooro loved music. 

She listened Mbilia bel, Angelique Kidjo and Miraim Makeba’s songs says her brother in law, Charles Omaswa.

Mary Karooro Okurut coordinated and chaired the COVID 19 taskforce national response who members included Emmanuel Katongole and Professor Francis Omaswa. Omaswa said she made sure that she get regular reports about the amount of money collected from donations. President Museveni granted her an official burial. The official function will be held at Bushenyi stadium. She will be buried at Katungo.

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