As more tributes continue to pour in for fallen former Tourism Minister Maria Emily Lubega Mutagamba, her family is blaming President Museveni for letting her die in near-or-total destitution, only aged 64.
On Monday, Hundreds thronged Rubaga Cathedral to pay their last respects to the former legislator.
According to the family, Mutagamba succumbed to cancer of the liver at Case Hospital, Kampala, where she was admitted about three weeks ago, following stomach complications. She suffered from gallstones as well.
During yesterday’s service, speaker after speaker praised ‘Mama Water Africa’ in international forums, has been described as hard working and principled but speaking to the media shortly after her death, a family member Denis Kimbugwe noted that by the time of her mother’s death, the family was trying to mobilize funds for treatment abroad.
He said when she (Mutagamba) fell ill, they mobilize a few funds and took her to the U.S where her liver was cancerous, got some treatment and came back to Kampala before she relapsed. This time, the family resorted to treating her from Lubaga Hospital and Case Clinic but that was to only manage the situation as they looked for means to reach President Museveni and ask for funds to fly Mutagamba abroad again.
The help from State House never materialized and she passed away without medical support despite being a very recent minister of the NRM government.
Burial arrangements according to Vincent Ssemakula Ssetuba, the former Rakai LC V Chairman, a close friend to Mutagamba and political ally, Mutagamba will be buried on Wednesday at her ancestral home in Gamba village, Kakuuto, Rakai district.
