Tom Buruku’s two-fold cause for celebration

Apr 09, 2003

Tom Buruku of the Electoral Commission (EC) celebrated his 60th birthday last Sunday (April 6): “There should be no rigging about the age because the EC Secretary and his team are here,” joked Agadi Didi

By Jimmy Adriko

Tom Buruku of the Electoral Commission (EC) celebrated his 60th birthday last Sunday (April 6): “There should be no rigging about the age because the EC Secretary and his team are here,” joked Agadi Didi, Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation.

Guests had their mouth agape as they toured the posh residence of the host couple, located at Nalugala Village along Entebbe Road in Wakiso District, next to the former Heritage Park, which the couple sold to the President’s Office.

The white three unit house set amid natural tropical rain forest is in a class of its own in the rural setting of the village en route Garuga Golf Club. No wonder, a representative of the friends, Mr. Norman Shalita, during his speech remarked amid about of laughter from guests: “I know Tom as an honest man and on top of that, a man of class. You all saw what is inside this house.”

Tom’s wife Daisy, who is of Tanzanian origin, was once the headmistress of Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School before joining UNHCR in Kenya.

As Tom was bidding farewell to guests at the end of the five-hour party, which started at 1:00pm Daisy was also bidding him farewell heading to Entebbe Airport en route to Nairobi, her duty station.

The smiling couple told guests the occasion also marked 33 years of marriage.

None of their four children attended the party because they were all working in the USA and Europe.

Tom as guests referred to him said he last celebrated his birthday a decade ago at his home in Johannesburg. He was then representing the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The drinks ranged from passion fruit juice to Johnny Walker Black Label with a range of sodas and wines in between.

As for the food, the buffet had all the dishes from West Nile to those of Central and Western Uganda, catering to the tastes of close to100 guests.

Notable among the guests were Commissioners from EC, led by Deputy Chairperson Sister Margaret Magoba and Secretary Sam Rwakojo; Former Uganda Red Cross Secretary General, Peter Oryema; George Onaba and his wife Lynn; Attorney General Francis Ayume; Mr. and Mrs Butele; former MP Dick Nyai and Lt. Col. Obitre Gama of Amnesty Commission to name but a few.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});