PR and marketing fraternity mourns Babirukamu

TRIBUTE | The Public Relations and Marketing communities in Kampala are mourning the death of a prominent digital marketing expert John Birungi Babirukamu which occurred on Friday, May 31.

Babirukamu aged 40 years was the General Manager at Hedge marketing agency a full service communication and marketing agency in Kampala.

According to police, he jumped to his death from the fifth floor of Tagore apartment in Kampala.

His peers have described him as one of the pillars of digital marketing in Uganda having served in the industry for 15 with different marketing agencies.

As death shocks many, his demise came as a surprise to many people including his family and friends in the industry.

Prior to his death, it is reported that John first apologized to his family members in a WhatsApp group but they could not save him since no one knew his whereabouts at the moment.

"I apologise for being an inconvenience in death as I was in life. I have given it my all and now I find myself with only emptiness," he said adding that "I do sincerely love you all and hope you find it in your hearts to forgive me."

The late whose motive of taking his life has not yet been established is reported to have booked into the upscale apartments in Kamwokya on May 30 despite being a resident of Kiwatule also a Kampala suburb.

His friends, family corporate companies and marketing associations have continued to mourn him describing him as a guiding star and trailblazer in the digital communications space which has faded away.

"John was the go-to-person in anything digital marketing. If you wanted the latest solutions in digital communication, John had them. John was collaborative and supportive. He was not a gatekeeper of information," said Sheila Nduhukire on behalf of the Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU).

The Uganda Marketers Society (UMS) also described him as a true pioneer whose legacy has left an enduring mark on the digital and marketing world.

Other peers such as Albert Muchunguzi also a digital expert posted on his X handle describing John as a happy man who has always been trying to think outside the box and full of ideas and infectious passion for everything he did.

"News of your passing is shocking! You ran a good race, and your legacy will live on through all the young professionals you supported." he said

Meanwhile, Dancun Tindimwebwa a mental health expert at Charlotte foundation in Kampala pointed out that trauma, stress, stigma and many others are the main causes of mental illness which leads to suicide advising the public to always seek mental health awareness.

Cases of suicide have been on the rise in the recent past ranking Uganda 17th on the list of countries where suicide is registered as cause of death.

In 2021, the annual crime report indicated that police processed 615 suicide scenes compared to 456 scenes in 2019.

In Uganda, mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression have been pointed out as the major causes of suicide in the country.