Journalist Felix Basiime laid to rest

Former Daily Monitor journalist Felix Basiime was laid to rest on Saturday at his home in Kakooba cell in Mbarara City South Division.

Basiime, 58, succumbed to Covid-19 on Friday morning.  

He joined Monitor Publications Limited in 1995 as a reporter and in 2000 became the Mbarara Bureau Chief. Basiime later  joined New Vision in 2008, before returning to Daily Monitor to head the Fort Portal Bureau in 2009 until March.

He was described by many as a selfless, loving and God fearing person who was passionate about his profession.

“He was very professional and thorough with his job,” Mr Festus Bandeeba, the Fort Portal deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) and a brother to the late, said.

Mr Bandeeba said Basiime was a pillar in their family and had been fighting to keep the family united.

 Ms Peninah Basiime, the wife of the late, said her husband served in the media in top positions but had never been sued for defamation.

“We have been married for about 30 years and have five children, he reported for so long but he had never been sued for any defaming story,” she stressed.

Ms Basiime said the late preferred working from his home District in order to take care of his family, but also respected his job when he was asked to work from Fort Portal.

“But he still found time for the family. He was a loving man but never liked showing off.  He loved and served his God and he was peaceful,” Ms Basiime said

She said Basiime returned from a function in Entebbe complaining of ulcers before it was discovered to be Covid-19.  

“He had won an award from the Nile Basin initiative on May 7. He went there to receive a plaque that is where he got that thing [Covid]. He came from Entebbe complaining of ulcers. We tried to treat them but failed and we went to Divine Mercy Hospital for treatment and they referred us to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for oxygen,” Ms Basiime said.