Who is Mary Begumisa? Flash Uganda Media looks at her biography, age, husband, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with, the late Augustine Mugisha, Madrine Kasiga, Wilberforce Begumisa, Jovans Twongyeire, Phoebe Arinaitwe, National Resistance Movement (NRM), the early life and education of the current Member of Parliament for Sembabule District.
Mary Begumisa is a Ugandan politician and philanthropist as well as a wildlife and Eco-tourism enthusiast.
She is the current Member of Parliament for Sembabule District and a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement political party.
Begumisa is also the founder of the Mary Begumisa Foundation, a charitable organization that works to uplift the living standards of the vulnerable and needy communities in Sembabule District.
Mary Begumisa is a pastor at the Generations Praise God church, Kanyanya.
Early Life and Education
Mary Begumisa was born in 1976 in Nabiseke village, Lwebitakuli sub-county, Sembabule District, Uganda to parents the late Augustine Mugisha and Madrine Kasiga.
She attended Lwebitakuli Primary School for her primary education and Bukulula Secondary School for her secondary education, both in Masaka District.
She then went on to pursue a Diploma in secondary education majoring in English literature from Kyambogo National Teachers College and later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University.
Mary Begumisa is a passionate advocate for social justice and women’s empowerment. She is also a respected Pastor and leader in the church and in the community.
She is married to Wilberforce Begumisa.
Career and Professional Work Experience
After graduating from university, Begumisa worked as a teacher for a few years.
Begumisa was elected sub-county chief in Rakai district in 2000, and while there, she was offered a World Bank scholarship to study for a bachelor’s degree at Makerere University.
Mary Begumisa’s political career began in 2001 when she ran for the same seat of Sembabule District representative but was defeated by the then-incumbent Anifa Kawooya.
After graduating from Makerere in 2003, she left her local government job to pursue a career in tour and travel. She and her husband established Gorilla Trek Africa Limited and Africa Adventure Safaris, both of whose offices are located in Kampala.
In 2006, she founded the Mary Begumisa Foundation, which has since provided a variety of services to the people of Sembabule District, including education, healthcare, and clean water.
In 2020, Begumisa emerged as the NRM flagbearer for the Woman Member of Parliament of Sembabule District position in the NRM primaries. She beat off Jovans Twongyeire and Phoebe Arinaitwe the other two contenders.
Zaituni Yahaya Babikola, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate for the Sembabule Woman parliamentary election, withdrew from the race before of the 2021 General Elections.
This left Hon. Mary Begumisa to go through unopposed. She succeeded Anifa Bangirana Kawooya who instead contested in Mawogola West as the Sembabule Woman MP.
Begumisa recently distributed seeds to farmers in order to assist them during the rainy season.
She also provided 778 chairs to 31 communities in the Kawanda sub-county to assist inhabitants, particularly during gatherings.
Begumisa contributed UGX 13M in cash to Matete sub-county comprehensive SS in her efforts to improve the standard of education in Sembabule.
Achievements and awards
Mary Begumisa is a vocal advocate for the rights of women and children, and she has worked to improve the lives of the people in her district.
In 2018, she was awarded the Global Citizen Award for her work in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
In 2020, she was awarded the African Women’s Development Fund Award for her work in improving the lives of women and children in Uganda.
She has also been recognized by the United Nations and the World Bank for her work in the field of social development.
In 2021, she was awarded Uganda Women’s Parliamentary Association Award for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of women’s rights in Uganda.
In 2022, she was awarded Uganda Women’s Network Award for her outstanding contribution to the empowerment of women in Uganda.
Controversies
In 2019, Begumisa was accused of misappropriating funds from the Mary Begumisa Foundation. She denied the allegations, and the matter is still under investigation.
In 2021, Begumisa was criticized for her support of the government’s controversial plan to build a new oil pipeline in Uganda. She defended the plan, saying that it would bring much-needed jobs and development to the country.
In November 2021, police in Sembabule apprehended a machete-wielding assailant from Mary Begumisa’s residence. Swaibu Kanyama, the assailant, allegedly vaulted over the perimeter wall fence and entered the legislator’s home in Kiggundu zone, Lwebitakuli sub-county.
The incident occurred just days after the legislator petitioned Parliament for security after being harassed and threatened by Anifa Bangirana Kawooya, the State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties.
Although Kawooya firmly disputed the claims, claiming they were without foundation.
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