President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has approved a state burial for former Minister of Education and Sports and Mpigi Woman MP, Hon. Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire, in recognition of her outstanding service to Uganda.
The announcement was made by the Minister in Charge of the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, who confirmed that the burial will take place on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, in Butambala District.
Babalanda revealed that the National Organising Committee (NOC) is already working closely with Bitamazire’s family to ensure a dignified farewell for one of Uganda’s most respected public servants.
“I wish to inform you that His Excellency the President has granted an official burial to the fallen former Minister of Education and Sports and Woman MP Mpigi District, Hon. Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire. The National Organising Committee is liaising with the family to organise a befitting sendoff slated for Wednesday, January 21, 2026 in Butambala,” Babalanda announced.
Bitamazire passed away on 14 January 2026 at the age of 84. She became a household name during her tenure as Minister of Education from 2005 to 2011, where she championed Universal Primary Education (UPE) — a policy that opened classroom doors to over 1.5 million children across the country.
Her tireless work in expanding access to education earned her the popular title “Mama UPE.”
Messages of condolence continue to flow from across Uganda. Buganda Kingdom leaders have praised her as a pillar in advancing girl-child education, while the Uganda Girl Guides Association honored her as a mentor who inspired discipline and leadership among young girls.
Yet even as tributes dominate public discussion, some citizens online have questioned the process behind granting state burials, sparking renewed debate about how Uganda awards national honours.
As burial preparations intensify in Butambala, Ugandans are reflecting on Bitamazire’s lasting impact on generations of learners and the nation’s education system.
Her classrooms may have gone quiet but her legacy remains loud in every school across Uganda.
