Activist Esther Nakajjigo's family beg Ugandan government to return body from USA

The family of a Ugandan young girl child activist, Esther Nakajjigo who died in the United States of America (USA) have asked government to help them repatriate her body, to be accorded a decent burial.

John Ssenkindu, Esther's brother, told journalists that her sister was hit by a metallic gate of the Arches National Park in the US, following a heavy storm.

He said, "They were three in the car, but only one person survived. The car was smashed causing her instant death."

A statement from the communications office of the Uganda Women and Girls association noted that the accident happened near the Park's visitor centre in Utah County where Nakajjigo, and friends, had gone for a vacation.

The father of the deceased, John Bosco Mulangira, told the press that her daughter had a dream of making lives in the ghetto better for everyone.

"She always felt uncomfortable seeing prostitutes and the life they were living. I was struggling, but rich at heart because of my daughter. It is a great loss to us as a family," Mulangira said.

Due to the limitations in cross border transport and with the Entebbe International Airport closed as one of the presidential directives to combat the spread of the Coronavirus in Uganda, the family is now worried that they may not get a chance to bury their daughter in her homeland.

Through the #EssieBackHome hashtag on Twitter, the family has asked government to intervene, and allow Esther's body to be repatriated.

Ssenkindu, asked Janet Museveni who had met with Esther at a recent function before she left for the US, to help in bringing back her body.

"Janet Museveni, government, please help us to give our sister a decent burial," Ssenkindu said.

Nakajjigo was a European Commission Young Leader in the United States Department of State Young African Leader.  She was a member of the Women Ambassadors Forum in Dallas, Texas, a Youth Expert at the African Union-European Union Youth Cooperation Hub in Addis Ababa, a Commonwealth Youth Trainer among other responsibilities.

At the time of her death, Nakajjigo was pursuing a Masters Degree at the University of Colorado.