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Fare-thee-well James Mulwana
Mourners admire a portrait of the entrepreneur.PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
What you need to know:
Entrepreneur gone. Hundreds of mourners from within and outside the country converge in Kiboga to pay last respects to the businessman.
One of James Mulwana’s wishes was to have the simplest of funeral services and for his body to be buried immediately after his death. Also, he did not want a vigil held for him.
His wish, to an extent, was granted. During his funeral service and burial ceremony at Masiriba Village in Kiboga District, the prayers made were short and simple. Speeches made were short including one from President Museveni who spoke of how the late was a man of the people.
But other than that, the funeral could not be called simple as hundreds of individuals travelled not only from across the country, but the world as well to pay their last respects to the fallen business entrepreneur.
The 76-year-old was laid to rest at his ancestral home.
In the intensely packed crowd stood one elderly man of medium height, Patrick Kasujja. He was the personal driver of the deceased for the last 25 years.
Driver’s account
The 65-year-old started working with Mulwana when he was 40 years old and says he was one of the people who had spent the last moments with him.
“I was with him on Saturday and Sunday at his Jesa farm. When he began feeling abdominal pain on Sunday night, I had to drive him back to Kampala to his residential home in Muyenga,” Kasujja says.
The following day, (Monday), Kasujja drove him to hospital together with the deceased’s wife and their three children.
“Sadly, he passed away on Tuesday morning at about 4am when his condition had worsened,” Kasujja says.
Kasujja refutes earlier reports that Mulwana had driven himself to the hospital.
As much as the sun was scorching down on the mourners, they bravely endured the heat until the casket was put into the ground.
The funeral service started at about 1pm and ended at 4pm.
Mulwana will be remembered for building his business empire from scratch, for his dedication, sheer hard work, humility and honesty.
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