Basoga warned against infighting as deputy Budaka RDC laid to rest

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Hundreds of mourners turned up at Bugembe Blue Primary School in Jinja city northern division to bid farewell to the deputy Budaka Resident District Commissioner.

Hajjati Nusura Nabukalu Juma perished in a road crash on the Jinja-Iganga highway at Baitambogwe near Musita in Mayuge district on December 29, 2024.

This was after her official vehicle, registration number UG4803C collided head-on with a truck of Kenyan registration number KDH 025V as she returned from a thanksgiving of the late John Lameka Walamu at Nawansinge village, Bulamagi sub-county in Iganga district.

However, during the deputy RDC's funeral, the Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda who was the chief mourner, cautioned the Basoga against fighting well-positioned individuals in government.

Whereas many are holding different offices, Babalanda said the 'Pull him/her down (PHD) syndrome' is common among the Basoga, which she said had frustrated the region’s development.

“We have many civil servants including RDCs hailing from Busoga but they fear working or being transferred back home because of the practice of fighting them, they find solace elsewhere,” she said.

Babalanda said this was frustrating their efforts to add a brick in their area.

She accounted how Nabukalu declined to be transferred back home for fear of being fought.

She owned a home on Wanyama Road in Jinja city northern division but Balalanda said the deceased never wished working in her own region.

Her first appointment was in Sironko where she had worked for close to four years before she was transferred to Budaka where she had served for four month.

“Nabukalu was spotted by President Yoweri Museveni because of her mobilisation skills and Busoga would be far in terms of resource mobilisation and development but this vice of PHD has hampered the area, we must support our own to build the region,” she said.

Great loss

Meanwhile Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, said Nabukalu was a great loss saying she was among the respected female leaders in the Muslim community.

Mufti, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje (in black) on arrival for Nabukalu's burial at Bugembe Blue P-S in Jinja city on Monday. (Photo by Jackie Nambogga)

“We are deeply touched and hurt by her untimely death of a female Muslim leaders she was, this turn up of mourners from different walks of life is evident that she was indeed an item not only to the Muslims but the nation," he said.

Mubajje condoled with Museveni for the loss of such a dedicated servant.

Meanwhile Lydia Wanyoto of the women league in National Resistance Movement party, described the RDC as a perfect driver in mobilisation which she said was lacking in many leaders.  

Richard Gulume, the Jinja Resident City Commissioner, said Nabukalu was an all-round person who died with a clean record describing her as an upright person.

Former lands minister, Daudi Migereko, said Nabukalu joined NRM in 1995 from the village level where she had served her party wholeheartedly, truthfully and with transparency.  

Nabukalu, 59, is survived by four biological children, including Hamza Juma.

She was the first councillor to represent the then Bugembe town council in Jinja district when it was carved from Mafubira sub-county.

Accordingly, a joint council of the two divisions of southern and northern divisions in Jinja City convened at the venue to honour the deceased.

During the 20-minute session presided over by Hassan Mugoya of the northern division, Farouk Mwinike proposed to rename Nabukalu after Dobo Road along Wanyama Road, which was seconded by the area councillor Beatrice Atieno.

The session was attended by former district councillors led by Jinja north division legislator David Agga Isabirye.

At the time of her death, she was pursuing her bachelor's degree in Public Administration and Management from the Islamic University in Uganda at the Mbale main campus while in her second year.

She was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Jinja city at 6:00 PM