Our Reporter | Sironko, Uganda — Hon. Sr. Mary Wasagali, a member of Uganda’s Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) representing Eastern Uganda, has been credited with playing a significant role in promoting equality, resolving workplace disputes and supporting vulnerable communities both within and beyond the Bugisu region.
Sr. Wasagali was appointed to the Equal Opportunities Commission by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni following the 2021 General Elections.
Before her appointment to the EOC, Sr. Wasagali was actively involved in National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilisation in Sironko District, where she reportedly used her personal and party resources to support grassroots mobilisation.
According to Mzee Victor Wanyoto, the veteran Uganda Patriotic Movement chairperson for Bugisu Region and former Resident District Commissioner of Kisoro, Sr. Wasagali has continued supporting community initiatives even after her appointment to the commission.
Wanyoto said a significant portion of Sr. Wasagali’s earnings goes towards supporting mindset-change programmes and university symposiums.
“I am very proud of Rev. Sr. Mary Wasagali,” Wanyoto said.
The Equal Opportunities Commission is a statutory government body mandated to eliminate discrimination and promote equal opportunities for individuals and groups regardless of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe and other related grounds.
As a commissioner, Sr. Wasagali has been involved in mediation and investigations aimed at resolving disputes before they escalate into lengthy court battles.
According to the EOC’s 2025/2026 annual performance report by the Legal Services and Investigations Department, Sr. Wasagali participated in the successful settlement of more than 80 cases through mediation.
The cases reportedly involved employment disputes, including allegations of unfair termination.
The mediation process is said to have saved government more than Shs2 billion in potential litigation costs.
Steven Masiga, spokesperson for the Bamasaba Cultural Institution, said Sr. Wasagali’s professional background and mediation skills have helped prevent what he described as a potential public-service crisis arising from unlawful or procedurally flawed dismissals.
He said many of the disputes could have resulted in costly litigation had they not been resolved through mediation.
Sr. Wasagali has reportedly participated in resolving employment-related disputes involving institutions and local governments, including Makerere University, Nkumba University, Makerere University Business School and local governments in Mbale and Jinja cities.
In several cases, mediation reportedly resulted in employees being reinstated and outstanding salary arrears being addressed.
One case involved a refugee and scholar from the Democratic Republic of Congo who was lecturing at Nkumba University before his employment was terminated.
According to accounts of the mediation, the lecturer, who was seeking more than Shs2.3 million, was reinstated and his salary arrears were paid following intervention through the EOC.
Sr. Wasagali also reportedly intervened in a dispute involving Pastor Sempa and Makerere University, helping to facilitate a resolution between the parties.
Her work has also extended beyond employment disputes.
Sr. Wasagali has reportedly travelled to Namisindwa, Sironko and the Teso sub-region to mediate cases involving widows and orphans who were allegedly facing challenges in accessing or retaining family property.
Her supporters say her approach has helped vulnerable individuals resolve disputes without having to endure lengthy and expensive legal battles.
Professor Florence Wakoko, an associate professor at Columbus State University in the United States, described Sr. Wasagali as “a rare breed in public service.”
Beyond her public service role, political figures in Bugisu credit Sr. Wasagali with contributing to the expansion of the NRM’s grassroots presence in Sironko.
Political supporters in the region say she played a significant role in transforming Sironko from an area where the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) previously enjoyed considerable support into what they describe as a strong NRM constituency.
NRM supporter Hajji Suleiman Lumolo said Sr. Wasagali has also supported the education of children belonging to fellow NRM mobilisers in the district.
Her supporters say her involvement in community development has extended beyond political mobilisation to education, social welfare and support for vulnerable families.
Hajjat Namyalo, an NRM mobiliser, described Sr. Wasagali as someone who understands grassroots mobilisation and has contributed to stability in Sironko and Bugisu.
The Most Rev. Dr. Obbo, Archbishop of Tororo, praised Sr. Wasagali for combining her religious convictions with practical service to communities.
“Sr. Mary combines prayer and action,” the Archbishop said, while appreciating the Government for her continued deployment in public service.
Cultural leaders from Bugisu and Teso have also praised her contribution to addressing discrimination and inequality in workplaces and communities.
As her tenure at the Equal Opportunities Commission continues, her supporters say her mediation work demonstrates the potential of alternative dispute resolution in reducing litigation, restoring relationships and protecting vulnerable members of society.
For Bugisu and communities across Eastern Uganda, Sr. Wasagali’s supporters argue that her public-service journey demonstrates how professional experience, community mobilisation and mediation can be combined in the pursuit of equal opportunities and social justice.
