Former Minister of Education and Sports Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire, who died on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at the age of 84, will be laid to rest on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at her ancestral home in Butambala–Kibugga, Masaka.
According to the funeral programme released by A-Plus Funeral Management on behalf of the family of the late Bitamazire, a requiem mass will be held today, Monday, January 19, 2026, at Our Lady of Fatima, Kansanga Parish, starting at 2:00pm.
The service will be followed by a vigil at her home in Kansanga, Kiwafu.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, another requiem mass will be celebrated at Lubaga Cathedral beginning at 10:00am, after which mourners will proceed to the family home in Butambala for an overnight vigil.
The burial ceremony will take place on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Butambala–Kibugga, Masaka. The day’s programme will begin with a burial mass at 10:00am, after which she will be laid to rest.
Born on July 17, 1941, in Butambala, Gombe, in central Uganda, Bitamazire received her early education at Trinity College Nabbingo before joining Makerere University. At Makerere, she earned a Diploma in Education, a Bachelor of Arts degree, and later a Master of Arts.
She began her professional career as a teacher at Mt St Mary’s Namagunga and Tororo Girls School, where she made history by becoming the first African headteacher of Tororo Girls School.
The appointment marked the beginning of a long career in public service and national leadership.
Bitamazire later served in several senior positions within government and regional institutions. Her career included roles as Director of the East African Harbours Corporation from 1971 to 1973, Senior Education Officer in the Ministry of Education between 1974 and 1979, and Minister of Education from 1979 to 1980.
She went on to serve as Deputy Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission from 1981 to 1996, State Minister for Education from 1999 to 2005, and Minister of Education and Sports from 2005 to 2011.
In elective politics, Bitamazire was elected Woman Member of Parliament for Mpigi District in 2001, a position she held until 2011.
She is most widely remembered for her central role in the introduction and implementation of Universal Primary Education, a policy that dramatically expanded access to schooling across Uganda.
The programme transformed the education landscape and earned her the affectionate title “Mama UPE.”
Beyond Uganda, Bitamazire served on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and was a founding member of the Forum for African Women Educationalists.
She later served as Chancellor of the Uganda Management Institute.
Since her death, tributes have continued to pour in from government leaders, education professionals, former students, and members of the public, many of whom credit her with shaping generations through her commitment to education, public service, and national development.