Ugandans awoke to somber news on Thursday with the passing of Hon Cecilia Atim Ogwal, the Woman MP for Dokolo District in the eleventh parliament.
At the age of 78, she lost her battle to cancer at a hospital in India, where she had been undergoing treatment since earlier this year.
Rt Hon Anita Among, the Speaker of Parliament and Bukedea District Woman MP, confirmed Ogwal’s untimely demise in a Thursday morning post.
She expressed deep sorrow, describing Ogwal as a mother, mentor, and role model. Anita Among extended sincere sympathies to Ogwal’s husband, family, friends, the people of Lango, and colleagues, wishing her soul eternal rest.
Cecilia Barbara Atim Ogwal, known as Cecilia Ogwal, was born on June 12, 1946, in Dokolo District, Northern Uganda. She pursued her early education in local schools in Uganda and later, at the age of 21, was admitted to the University of East Africa in Nairobi (now University of Nairobi) to study Bachelor of Commerce.
At 23, Ogwal won the first “Miss Uganda” contest in 1970, bringing glamour to her multifaceted life. She graduated from Nairobi in the same year and furthered her studies with a Certificate in Human Resources Management from the Institute of Public Administration (now Uganda Management Institute). Additionally, she held certificates in Christian-Based Values from the Haggai Institute, Singapore, and Public Private Partnership from Australia.
Ogwal’s professional career included roles at the Uganda Embassy in Kenya, the Uganda Advisory Board of Trade, and as a founder of Housing Finance Bank. She served as the Chairperson of Uganda Development Bank from 1981 to 1986.
In politics, Ogwal became actively involved as the Acting Secretary General of Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) from 1985 to 1992. She was part of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Ugandan Constitution in 1994. Ogwal represented Lira Municipality from 1996 until 2005 and later joined the Forum for Democratic Change in 2006. In 2011, she won the Women’s Representative seat for Dokolo District, a position she held until her passing.
Ogwal made substantial contributions in parliament, particularly in the Committee of Physical Infrastructure and the Parliamentary Budget Committee, leaving an impact on policy matters related to lands, housing, urban development, works and transport, physical planning, and shaping Uganda’s developmental trajectory.
In her personal life, Cecilia Ogwal was a devoted wife to Lameck Ogwal and a mother of seven natural children, in addition to numerous adopted ones. The former beauty queen, known as “The Iron Lady,” will be remembered as a dedicated politician, businesswoman, and champion for women’s rights.