Who is Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire? Flash Uganda Media looks at her biography, age, husband, family, tribe, achievements, death, alive and relationship with Alphonce Bitamazire, Mama UPE, President Yoweri Museveni, Justice Bart Katureebe, the early life and education of the former Minister of Education and Sports in Uganda.
Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire also known by some as Mama UPE is a politician and educator from Uganda.
She served as the Uganda Management Institute’s Chancellor from 2013 to 2021 when she retired and was succeeded by retired Chief Justice Bart Katureebe.
Namirembe Bitamazire served as Minister of Education and Sports in Uganda for a long period. From 2001 until 2011, she also served in the Ugandan Parliament as the women’s representative for Mpigi District.
Namirembe Bitamazire is a member of the NRM political party and also a former presidential advisor.
Early Life and Education
Geraldine Namirembe Bitamazire was born on July 17, 1941, in the Central Region of Uganda in a family of seven children.
She is a Muganda by tribe and holds her Buganda roots dearly.
She is also affiliated with the Catholic religion and is a passionate Arsenal football supporter.
Namirembe Bitamazire is married to Alphonce Bitamazire who is in the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF). She got married to him at the age of 31 years.
She is a mother of seven children and currently has several grandchildren whom she passionately adores.
Namirembe Bitamazire went to Mitala Maria Primary School before joining Trinity College Nabbingo in Mpigi District for her secondary education. Later, in 1964, she graduated with a diploma in education from Makerere University.
She then obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Makerere University in 1967 and her Master of Arts degree from the same institution in 1987.
Bitamazire also went ahead to study Management and Administration in the United States.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Namirembe Bitamazire worked as a director for the East African Harbors Corporation, a subsidiary of the first East African Community, from 1971 to 1973. From 1971 to 1974, she also served as Tororo Girls School’s principal.
She worked as a Senior Education Officer at Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports from 1974 until 1979. She was then named Minister of Education in 1979, and she held that position until 1980.
Bitamazire held the position of Deputy Chairperson of the Teaching Service Commission from 1981 to 1996. When she was appointed Minister of Education and Sports in 2005, she had been serving as Minister of State for Education since 1999.
Therefore, from 1979 to 1980 and again from 2005 to 2011, Bitamazire served as Minister of Education in Uganda.
From 2001 until 2011, she also served in the Ugandan Parliament as the woman representative for Mpigi District.
Having worked in the education field for about 50 years, Bitamazire claimed that she joined politics not for the money but rather to have a strong voice and to support the education industry.
Mpigi District was divided into three sections in 2010: Butambala District, Gomba District, and the current, smaller Mpigi District.
Bitamazire, standing on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket lost to Mariam Nalubega in the Butambala District primaries during the 2011 presidential elections.
Bitamazire was also replaced by Jessica Alupo as the Minister of Education and Sports in the cabinet when it was reshuffled on May 27, 2011.
In 2013, she was then appointed by President Yoweri Museveni to serve as the Chancellor at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), a National institution in Uganda for Training, Research and Consultancy in the Administration, Leadership and Management field.
Achievements and Awards
Namirembe Bitamazire was a founding member of the Forum for African Women Educationalists and served on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women from 1998 to 2001.
Bitamazire is countrywide appreciated and believed to have set the pace for education in Uganda.
And up to now, the education sector is still building on the foundation she set which includes the rolling out of Universal Primary Education (UPE) for free education among others.
Namirembe Bitamazire greatly contributed to the nation’s education system and worked diligently to advance women’s freedom. Below are some of her achievements as Minister of Education and Sports;
Increasing enrollment at all levels is the result of the successful massification and democratization of education. Primary school curriculum revision to improve the relevance of instructions for students.
Improved outcomes of the PLE and UCE exams. Increased enrollment and enrollment numbers at tertiary and university institutions to improve access to higher education for all.
With numerous cutting-edge programmes, teacher preparation, recruiting, and professional development were enhanced and improved.
The provision of instructional tools and supplies with a concentration on core academic topics. Rebuilding, expanding, and building the physical infrastructure for education.
Review of the sector’s legislation, statutes, rules, and regulations, such as the Education Act of 2008, the BTVET Act of 2008, etc.
Several Sector Policy Strategy Plans were put in place to direct the implementation of the changes to promote improved equitability of access to quality education.
Creating and maintaining networks and collaborations in the education sector with funders and international development organisations as well as with the local private sector and NGOs that offer educational services.
Uganda kept up its participation in important international sporting events, such as the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and all Africa Games.
She signed sports cooperation agreements with Germany, China, FIFA, the IAAF, and Right to Play to advance physical education and sport in the nation.
Teryet, Kapchorwa houses a national high-altitude training facility which commenced in 2011. Mandela National Stadium rehabilitation.
In Lira, a new Akii Bua Stadium Project got underway in 2010.
The Physical Activity and Sports Bill, a new sports law was created.
Uganda assisted neighbouring nations in developing and implementing UPE programme policies.
Controversies
On September 14th 2019, news circulated on social media that Namirembe Bitamazire had passed on.
However, her family soon released a photo of her and her grandchildren labelling the news as inaccurate and claiming she was still alive.
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