OPINION: Here is what public officials can do to prevent their funerals being turned into cash bonanzas

Granted, “when beggars die, there are no comets seen; the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes”, (William Shakespeare in the tragedy of Julius Caesar).

Indeed, when my poor mother, Nora, passed away on 26th February 2022, which was my birthday, it was a non-event except to her family, relatives, in-laws and neighbours. I would rather the modest amount we sent to feed over 2000 “mourners” was used to pay for job-creation training for her grandchildren. 

Even the former UPC-born princes-turned NRM princes, Emmanuel Tumussime Mutebile and Jacob L'Okori Oulanyah alias Jacob Okori Olanya would almost certainly questioned the prohibitive cost of their funeral. 

Why?

Listen to these:

“Mutebile’s burial budget: Shs 5 million for Bushera, 12 cows to be slaughtered and… Binzaali to cost Shs 5 million”, (Nile Post, 27th January 2022).

“Oulanyah’s burial to cost government Shs 2.5 billion” (29th March 2022).

Lest we forget, government is also going to meet the cost of completing Oulanyah’s palace in Oromo. It could cost a billion, at minimum.

Besides, an undisclosed amount was also spent on burying the former “King” of Teso, Emorimor Osuban, “Museveni orders state burial for Emorimor” (6th February 2022).

Therefore, in a short period of one month, the government of Uganda is to spend at least sh10 billion for the burial of former officials! 

As former zealots of Milton Obote’s socialist policies, Mutebile and Oulanyah would have asked this unavoidable question: 

‘How many health centres, or water bore holes, or food production programmes, or job-creation training scheme would have been funded with that amount? 

After all, the two men owed their success in life to Obote’s ‘Common Man’s Charter’ approach to development, which had enabled them to enjoy free medical services and highly subsidised access to education.

In a move that make the Bazukulus vote for Obote; Mutabile, Oulanyahas well as Gen Museveni, the bush war generals and others including yours sincerely, were effectively bribed to remain in school from S5 up to university and beyond. 

Our education was not only totally free.  

We were also given substantial allowance as well as travel cost to attend any university in East Africa or abroad. 

That was not all. We came back to a waiting job, government house and a car loan.

Fast forward to 2022 and you find millions of poor Ugandan children jobless and priced out of education and health care. 

Uneducated and unhealthy, their own children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are doomed to be priced out at birth! 

This raises one fundamental question for Ugandans, both leaders and the led.

Should we be spending billions burying former officials, or should we be using the little money available to make life more bearable for the living, especially our youth, who are wallowing in dehumanising poverty?

This question haunts me personally. 

As I painfully watched my mother’s life ebb away, I advised my family that her funeral should be modest and the little money available used to pay school fees for her countless grandchildren.

My family disagreed, slaughtered five cows and fed over 2000 people.

Two weeks later, I had desperates text message asking me to send money to buy food, pay for medical bills and prepare land for the next planting season.

After next week, my mum, Mutabile and Oulanyah will be spinning in their separate graves, aggrieved that their good names have been misused to impoverish the living.

I protest, I have made a Will to be buried in a private ceremony attended by my surviving children only. The only “stranger” will be a Muhima Mukaikuru, Teresa Nankunda who had been my first girlfriend.

Anyone else cares enough about the living to join me in writing a living Will to be buried in a cheap and simple ceremony?

Sam Akaki

Apac sub-county, Maruzi County