Parliament wants Budo Junior’s Namaganda declared a heroine
May 08, 2008
PARLIAMENT has passed a motion to declare the late Yvonne Namaganda of Budo Junior School a national heroine.<br>The 10-year-old girl died while trying to rescue her colleagues from an inferno that gutted Nassolo dormitory on April 14, killing 19 other girls.
By Cyprian Musoke and Joyce Namutebi
PARLIAMENT has passed a motion to declare the late Yvonne Namaganda of Budo Junior School a national heroine.
The 10-year-old girl died while trying to rescue her colleagues from an inferno that gutted Nassolo dormitory on April 14, killing 19 other girls.
The motion, moved by Wakiso Woman MP Rosemary Sseninde and seconded by National Youth MP Mariam Nalubega, described Namaganda as brave and selfless.
“She was courageous and selfless. May we emulate her behaviour. I direct the Ministry of Education to bring the matter before Cabinet so that we deliberate and formalise it,†said Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi.
“The late Namaganda Yvonne, who lost her life while rescuing other pupils, be included on the list of Ugandan heroines for her acts of bravery and extraordinary character that she exhibited as a leader of Nassolo dormitory,†the motion read.
“Namaganda died as she repeatedly entered the fateful dormitory to save innocent lives.â€
She was the third-born to Paul and Namusisi Ssewanyana.
The motion called upon the Government to come up with a national fire safety management policy and to revise and implement other policies under the education ministry that caters for the safety of pupils and students.
Sseninde said according to testimonies, Namaganda, who was the head of the dormitory, forced the door open but instead of running for her life, she rescued others.
The Police are still investigating the cause of the fire. Matron Damalie Basirika and three guards were charged with negligence of duty two weeks ago.
By Conan Businge
BORN in Mpigi district, Yvonne Namaganda started school at Aidah and Topher Kindergarten. On the fateful night of April 14, the P5 pupil of Budo Junior School ran back to her dormitory to save her friends.
“This way, this way,†were the last words she was heard shouting at her dorm mates. Namaganda was the leader of the dormitory, a responsibility she took seriously. She was also assistant class captain and the co-ordinator of the prefects.
“When Namaganda woke up, she started waking up our friends but I called her to get out because the fire was increasing,†said Susan Atieno, a P5 pupil who survived the tragedy.
“She brought out other students in turns. But the last time she went back, she did not return.†Just before the 61 girls in the dormitory went to bed, Namaganda had urged them to stop talking.
But as the girls dozed off, she saw a glow in the dark. Along with the assistant dormitory leader, she began waking up the other children.
When the flames broke out, Namaganda rushed to the window but it could not open. She broke the glass and pushed the girls through. “Run and call Jjajja Damalie,†she instructed them. Then she began to get the rest to safety. “I have to help the others,†she told those who tried to stop her from going back.
Namaganda’s mother, Joanita Nakityo, said when she heard that Nassolo dormitory had caught fire and some children had died, she knew her daughter was dead.
“Yvonne was a born leader and would not allow a child in her care to get harmed without trying to help. I knew she had to be among the dead.â€
PARLIAMENT has passed a motion to declare the late Yvonne Namaganda of Budo Junior School a national heroine.
The 10-year-old girl died while trying to rescue her colleagues from an inferno that gutted Nassolo dormitory on April 14, killing 19 other girls.
The motion, moved by Wakiso Woman MP Rosemary Sseninde and seconded by National Youth MP Mariam Nalubega, described Namaganda as brave and selfless.
“She was courageous and selfless. May we emulate her behaviour. I direct the Ministry of Education to bring the matter before Cabinet so that we deliberate and formalise it,†said Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi.
“The late Namaganda Yvonne, who lost her life while rescuing other pupils, be included on the list of Ugandan heroines for her acts of bravery and extraordinary character that she exhibited as a leader of Nassolo dormitory,†the motion read.
“Namaganda died as she repeatedly entered the fateful dormitory to save innocent lives.â€
She was the third-born to Paul and Namusisi Ssewanyana.
The motion called upon the Government to come up with a national fire safety management policy and to revise and implement other policies under the education ministry that caters for the safety of pupils and students.
Sseninde said according to testimonies, Namaganda, who was the head of the dormitory, forced the door open but instead of running for her life, she rescued others.
The Police are still investigating the cause of the fire. Matron Damalie Basirika and three guards were charged with negligence of duty two weeks ago.
By Conan Businge
BORN in Mpigi district, Yvonne Namaganda started school at Aidah and Topher Kindergarten. On the fateful night of April 14, the P5 pupil of Budo Junior School ran back to her dormitory to save her friends.
“This way, this way,†were the last words she was heard shouting at her dorm mates. Namaganda was the leader of the dormitory, a responsibility she took seriously. She was also assistant class captain and the co-ordinator of the prefects.
“When Namaganda woke up, she started waking up our friends but I called her to get out because the fire was increasing,†said Susan Atieno, a P5 pupil who survived the tragedy.
“She brought out other students in turns. But the last time she went back, she did not return.†Just before the 61 girls in the dormitory went to bed, Namaganda had urged them to stop talking.
But as the girls dozed off, she saw a glow in the dark. Along with the assistant dormitory leader, she began waking up the other children.
When the flames broke out, Namaganda rushed to the window but it could not open. She broke the glass and pushed the girls through. “Run and call Jjajja Damalie,†she instructed them. Then she began to get the rest to safety. “I have to help the others,†she told those who tried to stop her from going back.
Namaganda’s mother, Joanita Nakityo, said when she heard that Nassolo dormitory had caught fire and some children had died, she knew her daughter was dead.
“Yvonne was a born leader and would not allow a child in her care to get harmed without trying to help. I knew she had to be among the dead.â€