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Family declines to fulfill Mirundi’s request to be buried standing
John Tamale Mirundi, the late Joseph Tamale Mirundi's eldest son, addresses mourners in Kalagala Village, Kyotera District. PHOTO | AMBROSE MUSASIZI
What you need to know:
- Mr Richard Lwasa Mpijja, Mirundi’s brother, informed The Monitor on Sunday morning that they cannot deviate from the Ganda tradition of laying the deceased to rest while lying down.
The relatives of the late veteran journalist and former presidential press secretary, Joseph Tamale Mirundi, have announced that they will not honour his unusual request to be buried standing.
Mr Richard Lwasa Mpijja, Mirundi’s brother, informed The Monitor on Sunday morning that they cannot deviate from the Ganda tradition of laying the deceased to rest while lying down.
According to Mr Lwasa, Mirundi, known for his penchant for humor and jokes, made many whimsical statements throughout his life. “He always made funny statements to make people laugh. While we have honored most of his requests, such as holding vigils at his two homes in Kampala, we cannot go against our cultural practices and bury him standing up. That is impossible,” Mr Lwasa said.
Mr Lwasa also expressed gratitude to the government, particularly President Museveni, for the significant roles Mirundi held during his lifetime. “Appointing Mirundi as a presidential press secretary and later as a presidential advisor was a great honor, and we appreciate it as a family. Despite any misunderstandings he may have had with government officials, that is inconsequential now that he has passed,” he added.
Some mourners at Mirundi’s ancestral home in Matale-Kalagala, however, are unhappy with the family's decision not to fulfill the deceased’s request.
Mr Stanley Yiga, a resident of Matale-Kalagala Village, questioned the practicality of ignoring Mirundi’s wishes. “What if he refuses to be buried, and we end up having to dig a deeper grave?” He wondered.
Mr Benon Yiga, a former friend of the deceased, reminisced about Mirundi’s contributions. “When Kyotera was still part of Rakai District, Mirundi played a crucial role in helping the youth in the area find employment. Many civil servants in Kyotera and Rakai owe their positions to his assistance, and we are proud of his achievements,” Yiga said.
Veteran journalist John Kakande addresses mourners in Matale-Kalagala Village, Kalisizo Town Council, Kyotera District on August 18, 2024. PHOTO | AMBROSE MUSASIZI
Amid heightened security, Mirundi’s body was transported from his family home in Kyengera, a Kampala suburb, around noon on Saturday. A cortege of a dozen vehicles, including two media vans and motorcycles, accompanied the body on the four-hour drive to Matale-Kalagala Village. Along the Kampala-Masaka highway, onlookers gathered to catch a glimpse of the casket of the maverick political commentator, known for his sharp tongue and polarising views. Mirundi, 60, passed away last Tuesday after battling liver and lung complications at Kisubi Hospital.
He is scheduled to be laid to rest today at 2 pm. However, by 11 am, there were no signs of a final special mass being conducted at his ancestral home.
