OPINION! Why President M7 picked Umukuka's sister Mary Wasagali for EOC job

By Steven Masiga

Reverend Sr.Mary Wasagali armed with the Bible in her hand and her community psychology skills in her head, she was able to preach the NRM gospel in Sironko District and by the time President Museveni appointed her to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) as a member, the NRM party had recaptured the District council and parliamentary seats from the fangs of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

Because of her influence, the number of NRM councilors in Sironko rose from 15% (2011-2016 tenure ) to over 80% in (2016-2021 tenure) and Mr.Herbert Mulekwa was also elected as the LCV Chairman on NRM ticket because of the mobilization tactics of the Reverend Sr. Wasagali.

Armed with training in Community Psychology which focuses on people, Sr.Wasagali moved into the political arena to reclaim Sironko from FDC dominance.

Sr. Wasagali, 59, was disturbed by this trend as somebody who had served as NRM chairperson for Budadiri town council.

She entered the race for NRM chairperson Sironko District but was restrained by elder brother Jude Mike Mudoma ( the Current Umukuka lll) not to throw out Hajji Lumolo who had also done a lot for the party , an idea she obliged to.

She was instead elected as the vice chairperson NRM Sironko District but in essence she was the de-facto chairperson on account of her many leadership qualities.

On one occasion while in Sironko District for his usual mobilization tours, President Museveni spotted her eloquence and commitment to serve and eventually appointed her as a member of EOC.

His Highness Jude Mudoma says in his sister (Wasagali) , Masabaland has sent the best asset, incorruptible person and above all a down to earth person .

Sr Mary as she is fondly referred to in Sironko has worked and served in various places formatively. They include serving as the incharge Kenyatta Hospital Surgical Ward and when she came to Uganda she also embarked on lecturing as an adjunct professor of Community Psychology at Uganda Martyrs University (UMU).

She had previously attained training in Nursing from Lira nursing school.

Because of her politeness, being an amiable person and other ethical considerations and academic mileage, Sironko District entrusted her to serve as a member of the District Service Commission.

Sr Mary was also at some point elected as the NRM chairperson for Budadiri Town council.

Those who studied with her right from primary up to university say she is a very smart person upstairs and many of her qualifications were magna cum laude.

No wonder that her research which agitated for putting a permanent stoppage on violence against women titled ‘Violence against African Women’ was widely published and trended up to Amazon publications.

Her appointment as a member of EOC in 2021 by President Museveni was indeed well placed since the former is structured to address disparities against various communities and any marginalized groups.

Her service with the EOC is felt beyond Uganda and using her conflict resolution skills attained in Community Psychology and the Bible, she has managed to unify families that were falling apart.

She is seen in all corners of Uganda ending family feuds which is part of the mandate of EOC.

In Magale town council of Namisindwa District, when the children wanted to strangle their mother over land and other family assets, she was on site to iron out factors that were militating against unity.

At Mbale School for the Deaf, when the learners were being suffocated by their headmistress incidentally a fellow nun, Sr Mary came in and recommended the transfer of the Headmistress which the ministry of education obliged and affected with reasonable exigency.

In Mbale Municipal City Council, the fights between the Ag City Education officer and The Town Clerk on supposedly some level of maladministration in the education department, Sr Mary has been petitioned to intervene.

She has a bigger plan for Masabaland as a member of the EOC and says that if resources allow “we shall open both regional and District offices so that we are nearer to our people in order to redress any challenges that may make mockery of what life should”.

She says, it is a constitutional mandate to help those in need—widows not thrown out from their matrimonial homes by their children, both women and men get jobs equally, and the PWDs must be protected by the constitution against any form of discrimination from employment and other areas .

Sr Mary is also an affluent speaker of English, Latin, Spanish, Kiswahili, Hindu, and Chinese among other languages and she speaks with precision.

Masabaland has a lot of hope in her, a view shared by thousands of Bamasaba people.

The writer is a researcher and legal scholar in Mbale. Tel: 0782231577.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Red Pepper online. Send your opinion, complaint, feedback, and letter to redpeppertips@gmail or call/text / WhatsApp 0777959024. They should not exceed 1000 words.

Anonymous writers must indicate the reason.