Africa-Press – Uganda. The Kamuli Catholic Parish Priest, Rev Fr Richard Kizito Okao, has castigated families which brand politicians “chief mourners” during the burials, saying such a title should be reserved for a member of the nuclear family.
Fr Okao made the remarks last week at Namukunyu Village, Bugaya Sub-county in Buyende district during the burial of Ms Gladys Kadogo, 87, the mother of former Budiope Woman Member of Parliament (MP), Veronica Kadogo, who succumbed to Covid.
“I need to challenge the organisers who have wrongly called politicians chief mourners as a misnomer because the most bereaved persons are the close family members who should be the chief mourners. The rest they have only come to share, console and pay their last respects to the deceased,” the priest said.
He added: “A chief mourner should be a member of the nuclear family who is more grieved and bereaved for losing a member and have the pain and sorrow to heal, not political leaders who have merely come to show their solidarity and perhaps consolidate their votes.”
To avoid clashes and long speeches in programmes, he advised that these should be harmonized, organised and limited to between three and five people, including a family member, clan leader, friend or employer, top government or political leader and church concludes.
Ms Rebecca Kadaga, the former Speaker of Parliament, in a speech delivered by Kagoma North MP, Mr Alex Brandon Kintu, warned that Covid is not only expensive but also deadly.
“When we lose a mother despite all available efforts, funds, attention and can’t even view her body, it becomes a bitter reminder that Covid is real, disastrous, and lurking within us; so treat it like a terrorist, suicide bomber or village wizard,” Ms Kadaga warned.
Ms Kadogo, who broke down as the body was being delivered under strict restrictions, said her mother preached reconciliation and Catholicism practices of sharing, forgiveness and parenting.
“Our mother was a beacon of education and counseling with a heart for the Church and children that is why there is bitterness from the community that they can’t give her a befitting send off,” she said.
