Hundreds of mourners from Entebbe and Kampala flooded St. Luke Church in Nkumba to pay their respects to senior citizen and Nnabaagereka Slyvia Nagginda’s grandfather who passed away on Sunday. The mourners camped at Kasenyi Road Abaita Ababiri off Entebbe Road to wait for the body that had been taken to Mulago Hospital for a postmortem. And at 2.30pm a convoy of vehicles with Uganda Funeral Services vans containing the casket led the way from Kampala and upon arrival at Kasenyi Road, the mourners broke down in tears. The hundreds of mourners and the convoy of close to 50 cars were led by a band that sang songs praising the deceased for a life well lived. Traffic and business slow down for several hours after several shops were abandoned to bid farewell to a man they regarded as ‘Omutaka’ land lord in Nkumba.
Bishop Kityo Wilberforce Luwarila Namirembe diocese led the requiem mass and urged all Ugandans especially the young generation to be trustworthy, God fearing and live healthy life styles if they are to live long lives. He castigated the youths for using prohibited substances including smoking weed and downing booze like madness.
“Mzee Nelson Ssebugwawo has gone to be with lord aged 104 years. He loved God and accepted Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. I urge the youth to learn from the old man’s exemplary life style if they are to live longer lives. It’s a pity that some youth are cutting their live short through reckless life styles including smoking weed and downing booze” Kityo Luwarila said.
Former Namirembe diocese Bishop Balagadde Sekadde told the church congregation to thank and praise God for the deceased’s life other than mourning.
Buganda Kingdom Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga urged the deceased’s descendants to ensure that the Ssebugwawo name continues to fly high. Mourners from all walks of life gave moving eulogies about the old man. Many described him as educationist and a man of God who donated land to Nkumba Primary school and University, St. Luke Church land that he has been shepherding for the last several years. He also donated 5 acres of land in Kitinda where a church and a school have been constructed.
Burial will take place tomorrow Friday at his ancestral home in Nkumba at 4pm. Meanwhile an overnight vigil continues at the deceased’s residence.
The requiem mass was attended by among others Nnaabagereka Slyvia Nagginda, Buganda Kingdom Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga, Kingdom Attorney General Apollo Makubuya, Prince David Wasajja, Joyce Nabossa Ssebugwawo, Ssagalyambogo, Prince Jujju, Hajji Kassim Nakibinge , friends and relatives from abroad.
