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Uganda’s First Female Police Officer, Pauline Bangirana, Dies at 83

RiP; The Late Pauline Maniraguha Bangirana. Photo/Courtesy

Kampala, (UG):- Uganda’s first female police officer, Retired Superintendent of Police (SP) Pauline Maniraguha Bangirana is dead. She was aged 83.

Bangirana’s death was confirmed by her daughter-in-law, Ms Lelia Bangirana, who revealed that the trailblazer officer succumbed to septic shock on Monday night at Nsambya Hospital, just a day after celebrating her 83rd birthday.

“She was hospitalized on January 27 with severe anaemia and pneumonia,” Ms Bangirana explained. “Before her death, she was very ill, and it was difficult to hear her speak.” Despite medical efforts, Bangirana’s condition deteriorated, leading to her passing at around 11 p.m.

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Septic shock, the cause of Bangirana’s death, is a severe condition that occurs when an infection causes dangerously low blood pressure and organ failure.

Ms Bangirana described her late mother in-law as a “disciplinarian” and “smart lady” who admired Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch of the United Kingdom who passed away on September 9, 2022 aged 96.

 “She was smart, admired the late Queen of England, and loved dressing like her in hats, gloves and holding nice handbags,” she said.

 She added that the deceased was a philanthropist who loved giving back to the Bulamu Village community in Gayaza, Wakiso District, where she was staying.

 “I personally recall a neighbour’s child who would cry at a particular time, until the deceased sought to find out why. It later emerged that the child was staying with his grandmother and apparently, when the mother went to work in the morning, she left little money and the son always cried because of hunger.

Profile background

Pauline Bangirana was born on February 2, 1942, in Kagera, Mutolere Parish, Kisoro District. She was the fourth child of Atanasi Ngayabatema and Marisiyana Nyirantibanyendera, both deceased.

Bangirana began her education at Mutolere Primary School in Kisoro District and later joined Mushanga Sacred Heart, where she excelled with a First Grade. Her academic success earned her admission offers from Mt St Mary’s Namagunga and Trinity College Nabbingo, but she chose to pursue teacher training at Stella Maris Nsube.

While at Nsube, her late brother-in-law, Protasio Ayigihugu, encouraged her to join the police force which she responded to on April 10, 1961.

Bangirana graduated from the police school on December 12, 1961, as one of the first 10 women recruited into the then Uganda Protectorate Police Force.

In 1964, she met Polycarp Bangirana, whom she married at Christ the King Church in Kampala on September 15, 1966. He passed away in 2017.

Pioneering Achievements

Mrs Bangirana made history as the first female juvenile court prosecutor and later rose to become a detective in 1968. She continued serving through post-independence governments, including the current National Resistance Movement (NRM) administration.

Her career achievements include a delicate but critical role during the guerrilla struggle that saw President Museveni ascend to power. In her memoir, To Be Shrewd without Appearing a Shrew: The Life and Times of Uganda’s Pioneer Woman Police Officer, published in 2021, the selfless female cop recounts a daring act to protect Museveni’s mother, Esteri Kokundeka, from potential harm.

“On pages 102-103, the deceased recalls being asked to escort Mama Esteri from the hospital to her home,” said her nephew, businessman Paul Sine. “She suspected a plot to harm her and took a calculated decision to ensure her safety. That humanitarian act exemplified her career and life values.”

Tributes Pour In

Upon news of her death, tributes flooded in from Ugandans who remembered Bangirana as a friendly and motherly figure. She was widely praised for welcoming people to her home at the Law Development Centre, where her husband worked as a secretary.

“She was a beacon of courage and compassion,” one mourner said. “Her pioneering role in the police force and her unwavering commitment to justice have left an indelible mark on the country.”

At the time of her death, Bangirana was the Senior Presidential Advisor for Human Rights Violations under the President’s Office. Her life and legacy remain a testament to bravery, service, and compassion for humanity.

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