A multitude of mourners on Wednesday, February 21, turned up at the hockey grounds in Lugogo, Kampala, for the sendoff ceremony and eventually at the Muslim cemetery in Kololo, for the burial of Amr Ainebyoona who passed away at 27 in Cyprus.

Ainebyoona who died on February 16, 2024, after suffering from malaria, was described as a loving son, brother, and friend to many.

Ainebyoona’s father, Silajji Kanyesigye Baguma, the former assistant commissioner large taxpayer's office at Uganda Revenue Authority, moved mourners to tears as he narrated his son's last moments.

“We agreed he had to go for a master’s degree, and he made and application to about four universities in US and Europe. I don’t normally participate in that process because, he was already above 18 and he would do it himself. What I need is to agree on how things are going to be,” Kanyesigye said.

He revealed that they had planned he was going for master’s degree in August this year. “The response on the application to Cyprus came first. Because his elder brother was there last year and he came back safely, it was much more for him to go through. Around December, he came to me and said, I want to go in January. I asked him "why have you brought it closer?" He told me the university had two intakes in a year, one in August and another in February, let me go in January and save time,” Kanyesigye added.

He said they first had a discussion and he allowed him to go. “He left on January 27, 2024. We had a dua at home where some of sheikhs came and attended and gave him blessings and he left. When he reached there, we kept on talking and chatting in the family group and he told us he had found a soccer team to play with and friends. But on February 6, 2024, he sent a message that he was not feeling well. When he went to school hospital, he was told he had infection,” Kanyesigye noted.

He revealed that the hospital started treating the infection and on February 9, 2024, the situation got a bit worse. “I personally spoke to him on February 10, 2024, at around 9:00 am and when we spoke, he was very weak. I told him, can you board a plane and come back? He told me he was too weak. I told him to go to the hospital so that he could be admitted. His roommate Roland, picked him, and I told him to take him to a private hospital so that they could do the needful,” he stated.

Kanyesigye noted that when Roland went to the hospital, he was told they could not handle his case and referred him to another hospital. “The next hospital said his case was complicated and they had to refer him to a major hospital. At that time, they got an ambulance, put him alone and took him to that major hospital and his friends followed him up. His brother followed him up also using his networks. At around 4:30pm, we received an audio from a doctor saying, he is in critical condition and was going to be taken to Intensive Care Unit.”

Kanyesigye said he was shocked. “We took it at that point and agreed that his uncle, flies there. He reached there on Sunday evening at 11:00 pm and he did what he could. I want to thank Dr Ben Mbonye, Dr Evas Namara that did what they could to save Amr’s life. Everything is in Allah’s hands. We tried calling his uncle and he kept on saying, I will call you back. Only for him to call and say Amr was dead. May Allah accept him, forgive him and whatever could have happened to him as human,” he stated.

He explained that they had taken a tough decision and decided to bury him in Kololo and not Kanungu and thanked all those who had turned up to support them.

LéO Africa Network, a growing network of young and emerging leaders across Africa committed to leading successful and high-impact lives, where the deceased worked as lead on communications and partnerships, mourned his passing saying, “we are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved colleague and friend, Amr Ainebyoona. A kind soul who will be missed by all in the LéO Africa Institute Community and beyond.”

Nicholas Opolot the deceased friend said, “seeing this many people that are gathered today to join the family in grief, but also celebrate the vibrant life of Amr says a lot about the community he is born in. Amr was born into his family but is also born to a community that is here today and that says a lot about him. He represents the best of us, he represents the humanity, that form his core belief system.”

Others who commiserated with the family included Kampala Club, Rotaract Club of Nakawa, Chint Electricals Uganda, among others who revealed the impactful life Amr had at such a young age.

RKA a Certified Public Accountants is a professional accounting firm in their condolence message said, they were deeply saddened by the loss of Amr. “Losing Amr has brought unimaginable pain and our thoughts and prayers, are with you as you navigate through this profound grief. We pray Allah gives you and the family comfort during this difficult time. Amr was a remarkable and influenced many lives at his young age and indeed his memory will live on in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him. We cannot fathom the depth of sorry the family feels right now. Please know that we are with you in your grief.”

Among those who attended the funeral and burial ceremony included former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Patience Nkunda Kinshaba the Kanungu Woman MP, Kassim Kamugisha the Resident City Commissioner Nakawa, Amelia Kyambadde a senior presidential advisor and Sheikh Obeid Kamulegeya among others.