The death of Dokolo District Woman Member of Parliament, Cecilia Atim Ogwal, who passed away from a hospital in India where she had been admitted, has shocked the nation.

Mostly referred to as the iron lady, 77 year old MP Ogwal, succumbed to cancer on January 17, 2024.

Cecilia Ogwal has represented Dokolo District in the 11th Parliament since 2006, when the district was created.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among confirmed her demise and said, “It is with a heavy heart and pain that I announce the passing of our mother, mentor, and role model, Imat Cecilia Atim Ogwal, the Honorable Member representing the Women of Dokolo District. I send my sincere sympathies to her dear husband and the family, friends, people of Lango, and colleagues. May her soul find eternal rest.

The Works Minister, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, described her as a distinguished leader who served Uganda at her best.

“Hon. Cecilia Ogwal was lady who loved her country with passion. A nationalist who looked beyond party colors when addressing national issues, whether locally or while in international fora. We have lost a political icon,” Gen. Katumba said.

The former Leader of Opposition (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga, relayed his first experiences with the late Ogwal.

”My first interaction with Hon. Cecilia Ogwal was in the 1990s, the early days of my political activism. We worked closely during the late Dr. PK Ssemogerere’s 1996 presidential campaigns. She commanded a lot of respect. She was a household name who had been christened “Iron Lady” by the mass media because she spoke with clarity on issues affecting our motherland. Every time she picked up a microphone, she was speaking country and people,” Mpuuga said.

According to the current LoP, Joel Ssenyonyi, Ogwal has been a towering figure in the country’s politics for a long time and has mentored many who followed in her footsteps.

“Imat Cecilia Ogwal, you have left us during a time when we needed you the most. This loss is deeply felt, not only by Uganda but by the entire world, especially the parliamentary fraternity. Your death is truly heartbreaking. You were instrumental in guiding and shaping local leaders, as well as advocating for a just global agenda where the voice of the global south was heard, especially in the OACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. Your remarkable contributions will forever be etched in the annals of history,” the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, said.

Jim Muhwezi, the Minister of Security, took to X and said, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Hon. Cecilia Ogwal. Her unwavering dedication, fierce spirit, and tireless advocacy for justice inspired countless people. She is a true champion of her community and Uganda. My heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and the people of Dokolo.

Previously, MP Atim Ogwal represented Lira Municipality during the Constituency Assembly until 2005, when she lost to Obote’s son, Jimmy Akena Obote.

Ogwal has been serving as a member of the parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure, in charge of overseeing and covering policy matters related to land, housing, urban development, works and transport, and physical planning.