The family of Canon Jimmy Musimbi, Chairperson of the Manafwa District Service Commission and a retired Electoral Commission official, is still searching in anguish for his remains following the YY Coaches bus crash that occurred on Monday evening.
Days after the fatal accident, which left several confirmed dead and others hospitalised, Musimbi’s body has yet to be recovered or identified, leaving his family in a state of torment and confusion.
At his home in Mbale City, grief-stricken relatives, friends, and community members have been gathering in anticipation of receiving his remains, but hope is quickly turning into despair.
Despite multiple visits to hospitals and mortuaries — from Mulago to Jinja and Kayunga — his family has found no trace of his body.
“We don’t know what to do anymore. The other bodies have been identified, but his is still missing. We are heartbroken,” a family member said, overcome with emotion.
Musimbi’s son, Alex Musimbi, said they had recovered his father’s diary, mobile phone, and bag from the wreckage, further confirming that he was on board the ill-fated bus.
“We have spoken to some survivors who saw him alive after the crash. They say he was struggling but remained behind in the wreckage. We thought he might be one of those who got burnt in the cabin, but it turned out to be two women and a child,” Alex said.
Canon Musimbi was widely respected for his integrity and long service to the country. He joined the Electoral Commission in the 1990s and served as District Election Officer in Mbale, Jinja, Bugiri, Budaka and Apac before retiring in January 2019.
At the time of his death, he was a panelist at the Industrial Court of Uganda in Ntinda and continued to serve as Chairperson of the Manafwa District Service Commission.
He also held the title of Canon at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale, where he was known not only as a public servant but a devout and active Christian.
The absence of his body has left many questions unanswered. Community members are now demanding a thorough investigation and transparent effort from authorities to trace all victims of the crash.
There is growing concern that the response to the accident has lacked the urgency and coordination needed to provide closure to grieving families.
As days go by with no answers, Canon Musimbi’s family continues to appeal to the public and government agencies for help.
The absence of a body has meant no burial, no final prayers, and no peace — only an aching limbo.
“We want to give our father a dignified burial. That’s all we ask,” Alex Musimbi said.
The search continues, but so does the pain of not knowing.