Residents and leaders are in shock and in deep grief after two politicians in Ntungamo Municipality died in a space of five days.
On Tuesday, the chairperson of Eastern Division, Elias Beinomugisha Kakyafu succumbed to leukemia. This was a few days after Sedrid Nashaba, alias Mama Boy, who was a Municipal Councillor representing Muko Ward, succumbed to kidney complications. She died last Thursday.
Nashaba had been bedridden for more than a year at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital while Kakyafu died at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, three days after he had walked to Divine Mercy Hospital, a private facility in Mbarara.
Nanshaba had served as a councillor at Ntungamo Town Council and later Ntungamo Municipality for 25 years on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket.
Kakyafu was elected chairperson of Eastern Division on the ruling party National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket in 2021 after serving as the chairperson of youth in the municipality and a councilor representing and Kyamate ward in previous years.
The Ntungamo Municipality Member of Parliament, Mr Yona Musinguzi Bikwasizehi, said it was a disaster to lose emerging leaders.
“Kakyafu was simply 37 years old and Nanshaba was 53 years old, this is the time when leadership is being born, but a disaster has just befallen us that we can’t contend with. These are not replaceable.” Mr Musinguzi said.
Yesterday, Ntungamo Municipal Council paid tribute to Kakyafu.
During the sitting, the Ntungamo District Vice chairperson, Mr Asuman Kigongo, urged leaders to improve on their health seeking habits.
“As leaders we forget that we have life, we go to people’s burials speak and tell them how to seek health, we comfort them and show that we are strong but this shows that we are never giving selves attention. If we are to be great leaders, then we must know our health.” Mr Kigongo said.
The Ntungamo District speaker, Mr Nicholas Mugyenyi, agreed with Mr Kigongo, and also urged the government to prioritise treatment and management of diseases such as leukemia.
Preaching at the late Kakyafu’s funeral service at St Mathew Cathedral Kyamate, the South Ankole Diocese Bishop, Rt Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe, said the deceased was a reliable leader who presented the qualities of goodness and salvation.
He asked leaders to seek God as their saviour so that they can know the true meaning of life.
Kakyafu is survived by a wife and two children while Ninshaba is survived by four children and a husband, Mr Niwagira Benon Ntendere. Mr Ntendere is the FDC chairman in Ntungamo District.
