The Ugandan parliament is set to hold a special sitting to honour former State Minister for Primary Education, Joyce Mpanga.

In a notice to all MPs, the clerk to parliament, Adolf Mwesigye has informed them of a directive by the Speaker for the August House to hold a special sitting for the deceased former minister.

“The Speaker has directed that there will be a special sitting today at 2pm to pay tribute to the distinguished personality in the country, the late Joyce Mpanga,” Mwesigye said.

He said Mpanga’s body will be brought to parliament at 10am to lie in state for MPs to pay their last respects.

State burial

The Minister for Presidency, Milly Babalanda on Sunday revealed that President Museveni had directed that Mpanga be accorded a state burial.

“I wish to inform the general public that H.E the President has granted an official burial to the fallen former Minister of State for Primary Education, Joyce Mpanga,”Babalanda said.

Described as a woman of many firsts, Mpanga, 90 died on Saturday on arrival at Kampala Hospital.

She is hailed for her role in women emancipation in the country but also for her role in supporting Buganda kingdom and is credited for her role in the restoration of the kingdom and looking after the then prince Ronald Mutebi before he was crowned Kabaka.

Mpanga was born Joyce Rovincer Masembe on January 22, 1933, in present-day Kasanda which was then part of the Mubende district.

She studied at Ndejje High School which was later demoted to Nalinya Lwantale primary school.

Mpanga later joined Gayaza High School in 1946 where she was head girl for two years and went to Makerere University in 1953.

She was the wife to Andrew Fredrick Mpanga, who by the time of their marriage in 1965 was the attorney general of Buganda under Kabaka Mutesa II.

According to the burial program, Mpanga’s remains will be laid to rest at Maya in Wakiso district on Thursday, November, 23, 2023.