Okurut  Mary Karooro
 
Birthdate: July 12, 1954

Place of birth: Bushenyi, western Uganda

Languages spoken: Runyankore, English, Ateso

Writing language: English, and some Runyankore

Education: After doing her 'A levels at Trinity College, Nabbingo, Karooro went to Makerere University from where she obtained a BA. in Literature in 1977 and an MA. in drama in 1981.

Employment: Lectured in the Department of Literature, Makerere University, for 17 years before going on to work as Press Secretary to Her Excellency Vice President of Uganda, Dr Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe. A founder and chairperson of Femrite, Karooro is presently a commissioner with the Education Service Commission. She has also been a columnist since 1987, first with the The New Vision and now with The Monitor, both Ugandan dailies.
 
Bibliography: The Curse of the Sacred Cow (play). Kampala: Fountain Publishers, 1993.
The Adventurous Sisters (children's fiction). Kampala: Fountain Publishers, 1994.
Child of a Delegate (novel). Kampala: Monitor Publications, 1997.
The Invisible Weevil (novel). Kampala: Femrite, 1998.
Milking a Lioness & Other Stories (short storycollection). Monitor Publications, 1999.
 
Comment: Karooro Okurut believes in simplicity. "That's why I think people should put their message across in a simple manner without clouding their writing with complicated language," she explains. Little wonder Karooro is influenced by George Bernard Shaw's writing  particularly the way he "mixed comedy and tragedy". Her major concerns include social injustice, police brutality, and gender inequality.