Bamwoze’s wish: No wreath on my casket

Jinja- The late Bishop Cyprian Bamwoze had ‘a lot of confidence’ in Ugandan hospitals that he turned down all efforts to be flown abroad for specialised treatment, his family has said.

Bishop Bamwoze, the first Anglican Bishop of Busoga Diocese, on Monday succumbed to leukaemia at the Cancer Institute in Mulago at 85 years.

“He was taken to Nairobi hospital about four years ago but preferred local hospitals, arguing that this would bring confidence in them,” a family member, who declined to be named because the family had enlisted a spokesperson, said yesterday.

Mr Apollo Kazungu, who is part of the family Public Relations team, said Bishop Bamwoze mainly received treatment in Nakasero, Mulago and Kamuli hospitals. “He only went to Nairobi hospital about twice or thrice,” he said.

No wreaths on casket
Meanwhile, yesterday, the family was politely rejecting wreaths to be laid on Bishop Bamwoze’s casket.

This is in line with his wish, that such money be put to ‘other use’.
Mr Apollo Kazungu, who has been tasked to speak on behalf of the family, said he made a decision not to have a wreath on his casket but I think we may have ‘very few’ on the peripheries and not necessarily on the casket.

The caution not to lay wreaths on the late Bamwoze’s casket came ahead of his funeral service at Namirembe Cathedral yesterday morning which was brought forward by an hour to 9am. This was after the family received an impromptu communication that there would be a special session in Parliament at 10am to honour the late bishop.

Burial to cost Shs250 million
Reports emerged on Wednesday that Bishop Bamwoze’s burial at Bugembe Cathedral on Sunday wouldcost Shs250m.

“We came up with a budget of Shs235m which was eventually rounded off to Shs250m to cater for miscellaneous expenses and that is what we sent to State House,” a family source said.

“President Museveni wants to know the family arrangements and the budget; and in our subsequent meetings, Mr Moses Kizige, the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs and MP Bugabula North, has been in attendance,” the source said.

Mr Kazungu, however, said the burial is expected to cost between Shs100m and Shs150m. “No, no, no, no! Certainly not Shs250m,” he said.
“During a meeting on Wednesday, the chairman said the burial process has started and they are already spending money. We shall work within Shs150m as we wait for Government’s response,” the source said.

Burial Programme
According to the funeral programme released by the organising committee yesterday, the body will be taken for a special parliamentary session before it is taken to his ancestral home in Nakakabala Village, Kamuli District.

Today morning, prayers will be held at Nakakabala and later, the body will lie before a council sitting in the same place.

Tomorrow morning, more prayers will be held at Nakakabala before the body is laid before the Busoga Lukiiko (Parliament) in Bugembe.
Prior to the burial, prayers will be held in Bugembe stadium.

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