President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Monday awarded Rev. Sr. Maria Richard Nayiga with the 60th Independence Diamond Jubilee medal at State House Entebbe.
The 60th Independence Diamond Jubilee medal was awarded to Rev. Sr. Nayiga in recognition of her outstanding service and loyalty to the Country from 1962 to 9th October, 2022, pursuant to section 3 of the National Honours and Awards Act of 2001 as Amended.
She was supposed to get the medal during the Independence Day Celebrations in Kitgum District on 9th October 2023, but she did not make it due to some unavoidable circumstances.
During the function, President Museveni appreciated Sr. Nayiga for her dedicated service to Uganda. He also pledged to support her.
Sr. Nayiga, a philanthropist, was born 84 years ago on 10th June 1939 at Kasenyi-Mubende District. She was ordained a Priest in 1971, and currently retired at Gogonya Parish.
Besides her religious calling where she served at Kiyinda Mityana Diocese, Nsambya, Rubaga and Gogonya as the head of chefs for different Bishops, Sr. Nayiga managed to do a lot of community work which included among others, offering part of her ancestral land located in present day Kyankwanzi District, Mulagi sub-county, Kigando Local Council for the construction of a vocational training institute for the needy students to complement Fr. Kasole’s work.
She also personally funded the construction of a vocational training/ Dome at Kigando in 1992 where free education for the needy students is still being offered.
Sr. Nayiga also used funds from her friends from Germany to sponsor many needy students in higher institutions of learning including religious leaders where over 100 Nuns benefited, among others.
The awarding ceremony was also attended by Ruth Nankabirwa, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development.
