Former Jinja district MP Ruth Tuma passes on

The former women Member of Parliament, Jinja district Ruth Tuma has passed away.

Tuma, 69, who served in the seventh parliament, died on Tuesday at the Kampala Hospital after battling with uterine cancer which she was diagnosed with last year.

According to her daughter Dorothy Tuma, her mother was first treated in South Africa for six months but the family was advised to return and they have been managing her on Chemotherapy until she passed away.

Her daughter told New Vision that there will be a vigil at her residence in Jinja on Thursday and a funeral service at Bugembe Cathedral on Friday. She will be laid to rest at her ancestral home in Namutumba district on Saturday.

During her time in Parliament she was the chairperson of the Uganda Parliamentary Forum for Children, member of finance and budget committees for the Uganda Parliament Parliamentarians for Global Action.

She also served in other capacities as a member of the board of directors' deputy convener for peace and democracy, president of Federation of University Women of Africa.

Tuma with her over thirty five years of experience in community service, children's issues and education, she had passion for children.

Tuma was a qualified teacher from Kyambogo National and Bishop Willis Teachers colleges.

She received her BA in Education and a Masters' Degree of Education in Planning and Administration from Ugandan Christian University, Mukono.

She was married to Rev Canon Dr Tom Tuma and she is survived by four children.