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Kampala, (Uganda): President Yoweri Museveni has directed that the former State Minister for Primary Education, Joyce Mpanga died on Saturday, November 18, be accorded an official burial.
“I wish to inform the general public that H.E. the President has granted an official burial to the fallen former minister of state for primary education, Joyce Mpanga,” the minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda posted via X on Sunday.
Ms Babalanda added that “The National Organising Committee (N.O.C) and family will issue a detailed burial program, sympathies to the family and fellow Ugandans.”
However, according to the official burial programme released by the Buganda Kingdom, Mpanga’s burial arrangements kicked off with a service and vigil at the deceased’s residence at Lungujja, Rubaga Division-Kampala on Sunday.
Today, Monday, November 20th, another service for the deceased will be held at St Stephen’s Church, Lungujja and later the vigil will continue up to Tuesday at the deceased’s residence.
On Wednesday, November 22, the body will be conveyed to St Paul’s Cathedral, Namirembe for the main funeral service at 2 pm, and laid to rest at Maya, in Wakiso District on Thursday at 2 pm.
Joyce Rovincer Mpanga is highly remembered for her selfless struggle for women’s emancipation as well as her key support roles to the Kingdom of Buganda and the Kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II in particular.
Makerere University, where Mpanga made a name as she became the first female lecturer in the country mourned the great educationist for lifting the institution’s flag high for the time she served at the hill.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our very own, one of Makerere University’s Matriarchs, Hon Joyce Mpanga. A politician, women’s rights crusader and educationist in the past six decades, Joyce Mpanga was one of Makerere’s illustrious female alumni,” Makerere posted.
“She was a woman of many firsts, including being the first female lecturer in the faculty of education at Makerere University and Gayaza High School’s first African deputy headmistress. May the joy and grace of the Almighty God, truly be the strength of her family and friends in this time of loss,” the post reads further.