Prof. Nabudere is dead

The Elgon region is mourning the death of yet another gallant son of the region, Prof. Dani Nabudere, a renowned academician, who has died at the age of 78 after succumbing to various complications including diabetes and high blood pressure.

Prof Dani Nabudere passed way on Wednesday morning at around 2.00am at his home in Busamaga cell, Wanale division in the outskirts of Mbale town after complaining of chest pain.

According to his son, Mr. Andrew Muduli, he had complained of chest pain. He had then asked his wife to bring him warm water. When she returned with the glass of water, she found her husband dead in the sitting room. Mr. Muduli said that his father might have collapsed because of cardiac failure.

“We knew that our Dad had complications of diabetes and high blood pressure but frequently could get treatment as required." Apart from receiving treatment for diabetes and high blood pressure, Mr Muduli said that their father was in good health.

Mr Muduli described his father as a humorous man who was dedicated to his family and making useful social contribution to this country. He said that Mr. Nabudere was committed to working towards a peaceful Uganda.

Mr Sam Wajega, the FDC mobilizer in-charge Elgon zone and also a close relative described the late Nabudere as a “true Ugandan" for exhibiting high moral and leadership skills during the Constituent Assembly (CA) when he openly rejected the clauses in the land bill.

“He deserves to be emulated because his death has created a big gap that can’t be replaced at this time. He has been a fine gentleman. We shall indeed miss him as a country and the Bamasaba in general because he has been a unifier of the Bamasaba” he said.

Mr Wojega said that Nabudere has been the main architect Umukuuka (Bamasaba cultural institution) laws and a unifying factor for various factions in the matters of Bugisu cooperative union. “This is a big blow to the Bamasaba.”

Mr Wojega said that, “We received sad news at around 3.00am about the death of Nabudere but I could not believe myself until I personally drove there only to confirm that it’s true that the gallant parent had passed away. It was regrettable and sad that Uganda has lost such a person”.

The late Nabudere is survived by a wife and 5 children. He will be buried in his ancestral home in Bumayamba, Buyobo sub-county in Sironko district.

Short bio of Prof. Dani Nabudere

Dani Nabudere graduated with an LLB in 1963 and worked as a barrister at law in London in the same year. An Associate Professor at the University of Dar - es Salam and a visiting Professor at the University of Zimbabwe.

He was Uganda’s Justice Minister in 1979, Minister of culture in 1979 – 1980 in the UNLF government.

He became President of the African Association of political science 1983 -1985 as well as Vice President of the International Science Association (IPSA) from 1985 – 1988. He collaborated with the University of South Africa in a joint research project under the umbrella “Reclaiming the Future.”

He was the executive director and principal of the Marcus Garvey Pan-Afrikan Institute (MPAI), Mbale, Uganda. Over the last ten years, Nabudere has been working on setting up grassroots organizations to assist rural communities and raise their voices over issues that concern their lives.

He has been a reknowned Ugandan scholar before he passed away.