Lives cut short by COVID-19

HEALTH   VIRUS

On July 23, Uganda recorded its first COVID-19-related death — a 34-year-old female health worker from Namisindwa district.

The Director-General Health Services, Henry Mwebesa, declared her Uganda's first COVID-19 death. This was four months after COVID-19 broke out in the country.

Fast forward October 29, the health ministry tally of coronavirus deaths now stands at 108. The ministry has warned that the worst is yet to come, with an increase in community infections.

Experts fear the situation may spiral out of control after the complacency exhibited during the election season.

The 99 people who have succumbed to the pandemic are not just numbers, they are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends and people whose contribution to nation building was critical.

Their death should not be in vain, but a reminder that as a country, we have to stand up against the pandemic to stop the deaths.

Below, we look at the lives cut short by the pandemic in Uganda:

Charles Yangu, prominent businessman and commercial farmer

Yangu died at the age of 60 at Arua Hospital. He owned commercial buildings in Koboko town and was a progressive commercial farmer with one of the largest fish ponds in the district.

Yangu was profiled by Vision Group in the best farmer campaign in March this year.

He also served as chairperson of the for Koboko municipal council land board.

Haji Abas Do'do Ojale, Councillor for the elderly, as well as a businessman

Ojale was a councilor for the elderly in Koboko North division. He died on the night of October 15, after being referred from Arua Hospital Treatment Unit to Mulago.

Ojale was the father of Medina Naham, the National Resistance Movement national financial administrator and Ropani Sauda, the executive director of Partner in Community Transformation, a non-government organisation in West Nile.

"My dad was sick for five days, we took him to hospital when he was stable and was able to walk on his own, but he started getting breathing problems, which prompted doctors to get his samples for testing and the results came back positive for COVID-19," Sauda said.

Ojale's condition deteriorated after tests showed he had developed hypertension, high sugar levels and heart problems, all conditions he had not experienced before, according his daughter. He was later referred to Mulago Hospital, where he died.

Amaoko Kefa Ochia, former Principal of Arua Core Primary Teachers College

Amako Kefa Ochia, who served as principal Arua Core PTC, died on Friday, October 16 and was laid to rest on October 17 in Alikua sub-county, Maracha district.

Kefa was admitted at Arua Hospital with hypertension. However, a COVID-19 test turned positive.

Isha Butiga, a retired teacher

Butiga, a retired headteacher in Yumbe district, died on October 13 at the age of 61 after receiving treatment from a private facility. A COVID-19 test after his death showed he was positive.

A teacher, Butiga upgraded from classroom teacher to deputy and finally retired last year 2019 as a headteacher.

He served in a number of primary schools, such Mengo (Yumbe district), Kumuna, Oluba, Lamgba and Swinga Islamic Primary School.

Wawa Yahaya Udaya, farmer in Arua district

Wawa Yahaya Udaya, 71, who lived in Langi village, in Kuru sub-county, Yumbe district, tested positive for COVID-19 and was referred to Mulago Hospital, where he died. Wawa was a renowned farmer and also popular bicycle repairer at Kuru trading centre.

He is survived by three wives. With the loss of such elderly persons, Yumbe district health officer Dr Alfred Yayi and Arua district health officer Paul Bishop Drileb, have, therefore, urged the public to follow the health ministry guidelines and standard operating procedures, saying the trend of community infections is worrying and must be curtailed.

Francis Xavier Kitaka, entrepreneur and former chairperson of Cooper Uganda Limited and MTK Holdings Limited

He succumbed to COVID-19 at Mulago Hospital on September 12, at the age of 86. The veteran biochemist was laid to rest in Bunamwaya, Wakiso district.

During Kitaka's requiem mass, his family confirmed he had died of coronavirus and appealed to Ugandans to take the virus seriously.

Dr Peter Mugisha

Mugisha, who was a skin specialist doctor at Mbarara Hospital, died on September 7. He was the first medic to succumb to COVID-19 in western Uganda.

Paul Mafabi Gumunye, former Director, Water ministry

The senior wetland conservationist, Paul Mafabi Gumunye, died on September 15. He passed away just a day after being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Annet Nabachwa, businesswoman

Nabachwa, a resident of Jjeza in Mpigi district, who traded in agricultural produce, passed away on September 12 at Entebbe Grade B Hospital, where she had been admitted with symptoms of COVID-19. There was drama following her death after family members grabbed her body from ministry officials and buried it.

David Lukyamuzi Wangi, businessman

Lukyamuzi, who was Kampala City Traders Association deputy publicity secretary, died last month at Mulago Hospital, where he had been admitted. Tests showed that Lukyamuzi, who also owned businesses in Kikuubo, had died of COVID-19 and was laid to rest in Masaka district.

Faith Alupo, Woman MP Pallisa district

Alupo died on September 15 at Mulago Hospital intensive care unit in Kampala. She was buried at Aitaritoi village in Gogonyo sub-county, Pallisa. Alupo had participated in the NRM parliamentary primaries, where she lost to Kaala Kevin Ojinga

Dennis Lukyamuzi, businessman

The proprietor of Lukyamuzi General Hardware in Bulenga, Wakiso distruct, passed away on September 11. He was first admitted at Entebbe Grade A Hospital, but was later transferred to Mulago after getting more complications. He was buried at Muduuma along Mityana Road.

Ivan Kakooza, businessman

The owner of Nexus Events and Nexus Bar in Najjera, a Kampala suburb and also a member of the Legit Bar Owners Association, passed away on October 8 at Mulago Hospital.

Kakooza had been hospitalised for two weeks after showing symptoms of COVID-19. He was buried at Funvu village in Kamengo, Mpigi district. 

Allan Massengere aka Shortkut Sojah, musician

The musician and nephew of musician Bebe Cool died on August 19. Bebe Cool revealed that three COVID-19 tests were conducted on Shortkut and the third one turned out positive.

Prior to testing positive for COVID-19, Shortkut was battling tuberculosis of the brain. Bebe Cool believes that Shortkut could have contracted the coronavirus from Nsambya Hospital since the hospital had registered COVID-19 deaths before Shortkut was admitted.

He further revealed that one of the two nurses who were attending to Shortkut also tested positive for COVID-19. He was buried at Kyambogo village in Lwankoni sub-country, Kyotera.

Mariam Mugerwa Gitta and her brother Haji Suleiman Kiggundu Mugerwa

The two were among the first Ugandans to die of COVID-19 in the US. They hail from Kikungwe, Masaka district and are relatives of Sauda Namaggwa Mugerwa, the former Woman MP for Masaka Mariam died on April 2 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Cortlandt Manor after two weeks of critical illness.

Mugerwa, who was based in New Jersey, is said to have travelled from Uganda in early March through Dubai, where he visited his sister, before proceeding to the US, where he died.

Luke Junior Ssendawula, Ugandan in South Africa

He is one of the many Ugandans living in South Africa who have succumbed to COVID-19.

The businessman and socialite, who is a member of the renowned Rich Gang club, died on July 10 at Life Flora Hospital in Johannesburg, where he had been admitted after testing positive for COVID-19.

Said Muwanga Bongole, former KCCA employee

Bongole, a relative of musician and actress Mariam Ndagire, died late August from Klerksdrop town in South Africa, where he lived.

One of the relatives said the former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) employee had just moved to South Africa in search of greener pastures.

Matia Mujuzi, Ssikabugaali

He was a staunch Democratic Party member and crusader for human rights and rule of law.

The renowned farmer, businessman and opinion leader was a resident of Ntinda, Kampala and is said to have died of COVID-19 on September 3 at Mulago Hospital, where he had been admitted. He was buried at Ssagala in Kyotera Town Council.

Latifah Kalungi, businesswoman

The Kikubo-based businesswoman died of COVID-19 in August and was buried at Lukalu, Kalamba sub-country in Butambala district.

One of her relatives said following complications resulting from heart failure, Kalungi was rushed to Nsambya Hospital and later Kiruddu Hospital, where she died.

Pastor Charles Paddy Kayiwa

He is one of the first Ugandan nationals to succumb to coronavirus in the UK. Pastor Kayiwa was the lead pastor of Alpha and Omega Ministries — UK Charlton.