Sh75m paid to Namungoona fire victims and relatives

By Vision Reporter

Over sh75m has so far been paid to a total of 15 victims and relatives of those who perished in the Namungoona fuel tank inferno about two weeks ago.

President Yoweri Museveni pledged five million shillings to families of the deceased and victims injured in the Saturday 29, 2013 northern by-pass inferno.

The State House Comptroller, Lucy Nakyobe, paid an impromptu visit to the family of two brothers James Katamba, 23, and Magala Busajjabukirana, 19, in Namungoona Zone 1 in Rubaga North Kampala District and handed over the sh10m as pledged by the President.

“We have been sent by the President to bring you the money he promised to victims and families of those who lost their people. Because you lost two people, we are giving you ten million” she explained as she handed over the money, According to a State House statement.

The money was paid to Olivia Namugerwa, Katamba’s wife and Luyima Sekimwanyi father to the deceased brothers.

Nakyobe explained that in cases where the deceased is survived by a wife, the money is paid to the wife and vice versa.

However where the deceased had no wife or husband, the money shall be given to the mother of the deceased.

She later visited the family of the late Peter Sekalembe, 16, in Busega Kibumbiro zone A, Rubaga North Kampala where she handed over sh5m to the deceased’s mother Christine Nalugose. The late Sekalembe was a primary six pupil at Bbira Primary School. He was buried in Lwebigaji-Busaale Sub County in Mubende district.

She also revealed that the sh5m that was Thursday erroneously paid to a one Jessica Nalule who misrepresented herself as the mother to one of the victims Patrick Serunkuma, was recovered by Mulago Hospital administrators and returned to State House.

Another family of the late Jafaali Kakooza which was represented by his father Haji Katongole and the widow Rose Kwagala also received their contribution.

The five million cash payments come as fulfillment to the President’s pledge to the victims of the accident and the relatives of the deceased that he made during his visit to Mulago hospital after the incident.