Jova Kafureka kept low profile

Joan Nyesiga, had gone with her brother Gerald Karuhanga, MP Ntungamo Municipality to attend to their sick mother at a private hospital in Berlin Germany. On the morning of February 1, Karuhanga woke his sister up to pray for a miracle- their mother’s healing.

“Gerald came to my Hotel room and asked me whether I believed in miracles. In my pyjamas, I jumped and shouted ,”yes!” Despite the situation that seemed hopeless, we knelt by my bedside and prayed,” Nyesiga recalls.
Later, they returned to the hospital but found their mother, Jova Kyomugisha Kafureka, commonly known as, Jova, lying still.

“I cried and prayed again until I came to terms with the reality. She was gone. I was only proud that I was among the family members that shared her last moments before she passed on. Mum was such a wonderful parent who never beat us, but she always asked us to pray. I believe whatever we are is because of her daily prayers,” says Nyesiga.
Jova had lived with intestinal cancer but had learnt of it for less than a year.

Low key
While her husband is one of the wealthy landlords in Ntungamo Municipality his wife was not known by many in town including most of the tenants. Kafureka met Jova when he had gone to visit a friend in Mbarara. Jova was in primary school.
“I had already dropped out of school and was working as a houseboy in Mbarara. I wooed her and we later got married,” he recalls.

“I had wanted us to stay in town like other couples would, she declined saying she can never nurture our children in town. Jova wanted to be in the village where she would make her family, grow food, and have a farm. She wanted to be a family woman not a wife of a politician or a businessman. That is how I managed to be in town but have a family away,” Kafureka told mourners.
Allen Kafureka, one of their tenants, attests to Jova’s humility.

“I had never seen a woman with such a wealthy husband who just keeps home and occasionally goes with him to parties and other events. I can’t be that woman and I don’t think there will be another woman in the generation to come. She was not flashy and loved it that way.”

Supportive
Much of her last phase of life was in hospitals in Uganda, India and Germany. On all those trips she was accompanied by Karuhanga. Karuhanga last interacted with his mother on the evening of January 31. He has memories of her.

“When I joined politics at Makerere University, my mother told me never to lose trust of the people who voted me. Despite the fact that she had never been a leader, mum told me how to lead and she wanted me to aim higher. She always dreamt of a leader who never disappointed the electorate and stood for truth. Her virtues, I shall live for,” Karuhanga says.

Charitable and selfless
Tom Muhumuza, a young brother to Kafureka, says his in-law ensured that even her husband’s siblings went to school, started business and got married.

“She became our mother and sister. Whatever Jova ate, she wanted us to eat. We went to school and whatever we had was because of her role in the family. At times we provoked her but she never got angry. She opened for us doors into the business of her husband and whatever we have is because she allowed it to happen,” Muhumuza who is a businessman and the chairman Ntungamo Taxi Drivers and Owners Cooperative Society says.

Urban Banturaki, a neighbuor, says Jova is one of the women in their village whom everyone ran to if there was any challenge.

“Most importantly, she liked education and would contribute school fees to some children from the village. She said children ought to go to school so that they don’t become a menace to the village,” Banturaki recalls.

Counsellor and good cook
While she never participated in elections, her role was bigger than those who went for the frontline to campaign. During campaigns for both her husband and son, her role was to counsel parties that would retreat to home after a long day.

“At times we would have no place to eat from in town yet we wanted a private place where we could seat over tea. We would go to her and always found tea which we took as she gave us the necessary knowledge to overcome whatever challenges we encountered,” Boaz Kumwesiga an assistant to Kafureka and confidant of Karuhanga notes.

“Before she became sick, I came here with my wife, she mingled for us good karo (millet bread) and cooked chicken for us. I will always remember that meal. She made it so well and I am told that many people have tasted that karo and chicken,” Rt Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe, the Bishop of South Ankole Diocese reminisced.

Reserved
“My Mother was the big unflickering candle at home who made us shine but never allowed to be in the limelight. If she had been in control of her funeral, I presume she would not have liked even the many ceremonies she was passed through before her burial,” Karuhanga says.

Prior to the burial, her body had been taken through three churches and three vigils conducted with the first being in Germany. Mwesigwa Rukutana, Minister of state for labor who doubles as the deceased’s in-law represented the President at the burial. Alliance for National Transformation National coordinator Rtd Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu, People Power leader also Kyadondo east MP Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi wine and most of the opposition MPs attended.

At 10.25am the casket was brought from the tile-thatched house escorted by more than 20 priests, family members, friends plus politicians. At 7.45pm the body of Kyomugisha was lowered into the grave in a prayer by the Anglican bishop, several catholic priests, the Muslim District Kadhi, and pastors at Mishenyi village in Itojo Parish Itojo Sub-county Ntungamo District on February 13.

Others say
Judith Kansiime, Daughter
I had never seen her angry. I had never seen her in pain. And, being the youngest, I enjoyed mummy more than any other sibling. Mummy prayed and fasted for us, especially when daddy and Gerald would be in elections. Sometimes I imagine that she might have developed the cancer due to too much prayer and fasting. We shall always miss her.

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