By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu
MBARARA
Emmanuel Omugisha Bukabeeba, a pioneer BSU secretary, former Kakoba Primary Teachers College and founding member of Besania Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO), passed away on Tuesday at Divine Mercy Hospital in Mbarara City after succumbing to kidney failure. Bukabeeba, a known diabetic patient since 2014, was 77 years old.
Eng. Bukabeeba was a well-known politician who contested for the position of Member of Parliament for Mbarara Municipality. He later stepped down for the NRM candidate Ngomangime, leaving him to compete with Eng. Winnie Byanyima in 2021. Bukabeeba was also known for his educative quotes, such as “You Matter, I Matter,” “Light Your Candle,” and “You Are Immortal Until You Finish Your Work,” which emphasized love and compassion.
During the late Bukabeeba’s funeral service at All Saints Church in Mbarara, Dr. Edson Mutekanga confirmed that Bukabeeba had been battling diabetes since 2014. Mutekanga described Bukabeeba as a great thinker and writer, having published four volumes of books and articles throughout his lifetime. He called on the government to introduce health insurance for the elderly, who may struggle to afford medical care.
“Statistics show that the population of people aged 65 and above is about 2 percent, and those aged 80 and above make up around 0.2 percent. I urge the government to provide health insurance for older people, as many of them are dealing with several health challenges,” Mutekanga said.
Benson Nduhura, the Chairman of Besania SACCO, hailed Bukabeeba as a visionary and focused leader who, alongside two other members, mobilized resources to start the SACCO as a brethren village savings association in 1997. The SACCO was later formally registered in 2007, with the aim of improving the livelihoods of its members.
“He started Besania as a fellowship group which later transformed into an association and now a big financial institution. We do not take that for granted. He served the community, Uganda, and Africa at large. As the Besania family, we are grateful for the tremendous work Bukabeeba has done for us through this SACCO, which has transformed the lives of many Ugandans,” Nduhura noted.
John Rutakirwa, the former Operations Manager at the SACCO, described Bukabeeba as a principled man who upheld integrity and diligence in his work.
“Many people saw him as a complicated man, but I want to tell you that he instilled financial discipline, passion, and commitment among the board, staff, and members, which has helped Besania SACCO survive loan defaults over the years,” Rutakirwa said.
He added that the late Bukabeeba believed in social capital, viewing it as a collective responsibility and value for all of humanity.
Rev. Tindiwensi, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Bishop Stuart University, described Bukabeeba as a charismatic leader who had served as the University Secretary at the same institution. Tindiwensi praised Bukabeeba as a rare breed of person. In his message, he recounted the late Bukabeeba as a man of action, recalling the day he removed many pit latrines in his white shirt and red tie, ensuring the visiting archbishop would not find the area filled with latrines. He also mentioned that Bukabeeba sometimes carried furniture from home to school.
Bukabeeba leaves behind his wife, Kellen Namara, and their five children. Grace Amazing, his eldest daughter, who works in the DPP’s Office as the State Attorney at Buganda Road Court. She described her late father as an educator and a profound philosopher.
“He was passionate about education and was a simple man who loved everyone. He stood for truth and justice and could not bear to see anyone oppressed,” Amazing said.
Karen Bukabeba the widow thanked God for enabling her fulfil her commitment as a wife to look after her dear husband. She said Bukabeba was an angel but she took long to understand it. She narrated that her late husband was never selfish for money. She said Bukabeba ran to exile in Kenya in 80’s after Amin had started assassinating evangelists, where he later left to England where he pursued and graduated with masters in Cybernetics at the University of Reading.
Asiimwe Isaac, the only boy in the family, noted that many people misunderstood his father, thinking he was mentally ill. He explained that his father was a liberal thinker and visionary, and those who could not interpret his message might have thought he was not okay.
Born on August 22, 1948, Emmanuel Omugisha Bukabeeba was laid to rest on Thursday at his ancestral home in Kakyeka Cell, Mbarara City.
