Chaos as mourners fight for body
A group of Muslims running away with Hajjati Zam Nabusawa’s body after grabbing it from police on September 16, 2018. Photos by Yazid Yolisigira.
What you need to know:
- Hajjati Zam Nabusawa who reportedly didn’t have a child indicated in her will that all her property, including a commercial house at Nampirika Village is bequeathed to Noor Mosque to help orphans and the vulnerable.
- Sheik Ayub Muzito, one of the leaders at Noor Mosque, said the deceased, in her will, indicated that none of her relatives should even get close to her body.
Mourners at Nampirika village, Nakalama Sub-county in Iganga District on Sunday got involved in a fist fight over conflicting accounts of the actual burial site of their departed relative.
The deceased, Hajjati Zam Nabusawa, 54, had in her will dated June 12, reportedly indicated that upon her death, her body should not be returned to her ancestral home in Budadiri Village in Sironko District for burial.
The same will permitted Muslims to take over her burial and ensure she is laid to rest at Bugodi Village in Mayuge District where her elder sister stays.
However, upon her death, chaos erupted when relatives arrived in the area, demanding to take her body to Sironko District for burial.
Sheik Ayub Muzito, one of the leaders at Noor Mosque, said the deceased, in her will, indicated that none of her relatives should even get close to her body.
“The deceased asked to be buried in Bugodi Village and that if we failed, we would rather bury her in a cemetery around Iganga instead of taking her to Sironko,” Sheik Muzito said.
Ms Aisha Nafuna, the deceased’s sister being restrained by Muslims from getting to the body.
Mr Godfrey Ivulungo, the village LC Secretary for Defence, said the deceased warned that if anyone repatriates her body to Sironko District, the vehicle and the people would not reach.
“We have to follow the will and bury her at Bugodi. It seems the deceased had issues with her family because ever since she came here, I have never seen any of these people from Sironko,” Mr Ivulungo said.
However, the Sironko group led by Adrian Ogo rejected the will, saying it was orchestrated by Muslims as a ploy to grab the deceased’s property.
Ms Nabusawa who reportedly didn’t have a child indicated in her will that all her property, including a commercial house at Nampirika Village is bequeathed to Noor Mosque to help orphans and the vulnerable.
“We don’t know this will because none of us was involved,” Mr Ogo said.
“Are religious leaders supposed to take over property of a person who has died? I thought it (property) is meant to go to the family?” he wondered.
The clashes went on for about two hours until police officers from Iganga Police Station arrived to quell the situation.
However, drama played out when rowdy Muslims grabbed the body from police and forcefully took it to Bugodi Village for burial.
