The National Unity Platform (NUP) fraternity and family of the late Marionos Alexandras Esther gathered to pay their final respects as her body was laid to rest, with the ceremony turning into a strong call for justice for victims of politically related violence in Uganda.
Marionos, described as a hardworking woman, a freedom fighter, and a passionate NUP supporter, was forced into exile in Kenya due to political instability back home.
While in exile, she fell gravely ill and became bedridden before meeting her death. Her family has since demanded a detailed explanation from the government regarding the circumstances that forced her into exile and ultimately led to her untimely demise.
The send-off was dominated by grief, anger, and renewed demands for justice. NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, in his eulogy, insisted that true justice for victims like Esther will never come unless Ugandans themselves rise up to demand it.
“We have lost many comrades to abduction, torture, incarceration, and now exile. Esther is one of the countless heroes whose blood and pain should never be forgotten,” Kyagulanyi said. “There will never be justice unless the people of Uganda fight for it themselves.”
He urged the people of Rwenzori and Ugandans at large to take up the mantle of defending their rights, emphasizing that no one in the country seems safe under the current political climate.
Kyagulanyi also reflected on the ordeals Esther and many others endured including abduction, torture, and sexual violence before their deaths.
He described her as a heroine of the struggle, whose life and suffering symbolize the broader fight for freedom in Uganda.
The mourners echoed his sentiments, vowing to keep Esther’s legacy alive by pushing for justice for all those who have been abducted, incarcerated, or killed due to their political beliefs.
