Yesterday, friends, family members and colleagues of the late ASP Namande Henrietta gathered at St. Gyaviira Catholic Church, Bunamwaya, to pray for her soul and celebrate a life that touched so many people.
Henrietta passed away on Saturday morning, leaving behind a deep sense of loss within the Uganda Police Force, particularly among her colleagues in the Press and Public Relations Office, where she served with distinction.
Representing the Deputy Inspector General of Police, SCP Fred Enanga described Henrietta as “a rare gift to the Force” a kind-hearted, deeply humble, highly disciplined, caring, committed, dedicated and professional officer, whose honesty was unwavering.
She was, he said, a woman whose character spoke louder than her rank.
Reflecting on her contribution to police communication, SCP Enanga said Henrietta was at the heart of a transformative journey that reshaped the way the Uganda Police Force engaged with the public and the media.
“Together as one PR family, we dared to transform policing communications. We expanded the Crime Reporters Fora in every region, deepened police cooperation with the media at all levels through media tours and engagements, refined our communication style through regular daily and weekly press briefings, and boldly expanded our digital footprint onto Twitter, now X, WhatsApp and Instagram.
“She was the silent engine behind all of it, driving us forward even when resources were thin and challenges were many. We never gave up; we kept lobbying, kept believing, kept building.”
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Henrietta was much more than a colleague. She was a mother to many officers.
She mobilised savings among personnel and helped colleagues acquire land and build homes. She listened to everyone, carried people’s burdens, quietly solved problems and guarded every confidence entrusted to her.
That was the depth of her love for others.
Henrietta was always present when she was needed often the last person to leave the office, always ready to lend a listening ear, always good company, and almost invariably wearing that infectious smile that could brighten even the heaviest of days.
Her colleagues commended her immense contribution towards professionalising the Press and Public Relations Department and for the tremendous social capital she built for the Uganda Police Force. Her legacy will live on not only in the systems and structures she helped strengthen, but also in the many lives she touched along the way.
Henrietta served with humility. She led with kindness. She gave without seeking recognition. And she left behind a legacy that will be difficult to replace.
As friends, family and colleagues bid her farewell, the Uganda Police Force mourns not simply an officer, but a sister, a mother, a mentor, a friend and a rare human being.
Today, ASP Namande Henrietta will be laid to rest in Ssemuto, Kapeeka.
May her soul rest in eternal peace.
You served. You cared. You inspired. You will never be forgotten.
