Buganda Kingdom mourns Joyce Mpanga
The Late Ms Joyce Mpanga. Photo/Courtesy
The Buganda Kingdom on November 18 announced the death of Ms Joyce Mpanga, the first Women Affairs Minister in central government.
Speaking to Monitor in a telephone interview, the Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of Buganda, Mr Charles Peter Mayiga said the late Ms Mpanga and her husband, Mr Fredrick Mpanga, who passed on in the 1970's, played a key role in supporting Buganda's exiled King, Edward Muteesa, and Prince (now Kabaka) Ronald Mutebi, when they were in England.
"They were very close to Prince Mutebi throughout his time in exile. Ms Mpanga was one of the key persons in the restoration process of the Kingdom of Buganda, and she has served as a member of the Buganda Lukiiko until her death," He said
The Katikkiro added that at the Coronation, the Kabaka awarded Joyce Mpanga the highest Kingdom honor of the Spear and the Shield (Ekitiibwa eky'Amafumu n'Engabo) as a sign of appreciation for the work she had done for Buganda Kingdom .
"She has been one of the key figures in the struggle for women emancipation and she was the first Minister for women affairs in the early days of the National Resistance Movement government," he added.
Background
Ms Mpanga began her career as a teacher at Makerere College in 1958 and was Deputy Headmistress of Gayaza High School in 1962.
During her time in Makerere, Mpanga was elected into the Uganda Legislative Council in 1960. Mpanga left for England in exile a year after the 1966 attack of Lubiri and returned to Uganda in 1972.
