Sombre mood as Tamale Mirundi is laid to rest

A sombre mood engulfed people who thronged Matala-Kalagala Village, the ancestral place of Joseph Tamale Mirundi Sunday afternoon to give him a befitting send-off.

Mirundi, 60, a veteran journalist and former deputy presidential press secretary succumbed to liver and lung complications at Kisubi Hospital on Tuesday.  

Unlike in Kampala where a special mass was conducted for the deceased at St Gyaviira Catholic Parish, Bunamwaya, there were no formal funeral prayers at Mirundi’s final sendoff place as catholic priests in the area shunned the burial. The ceremony was mostly punctuated by speeches from relatives, friends and politicians.

As the casket was lowered in the grave at around 2:20pm, a self-styled pastor, William Katwama, who represented Pastor Aloysius Bugingo of House of Prayer Ministries, said the last prayer for the deceased to rest in eternal peace.

Family and friends described Mirundi as a loving, amiable, gentle person who listened to people’s concerns and tried to help them.

The Chief mourner, President Museveni in a speech read by the Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo, said Mirundi was a household name because of his brave and truthful commentary on current affairs in the country and abroad.

“He [Mirundi] was a self-styled and independent-minded public intellectual who attracted a big following, especially in the social media and the mainstream media. He was very passionate about issues of government, fighting corruption and service delivery, fairness and equality,” Mr Museveni said.

He gave out Shs10m to the family to help with the burial arrangements.

Ms Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, the head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, a longtime friend of Mirundi, described the deceased as a hardworking man.

“Tamale worked as a presidential press secretary at a time when we had a tough Opposition, but he would do his job well and that’s why he has been very famous. Because he was speaking a lot, some hated him, but he gained more friends, I have been his follower [on social media] because he was a stress killer,” he said.

Ms Nassimbwa Mirundi, one of the widows said their husband loved and cared for his children.

“The children of Mirundi will miss their dad but we are going to strive and raise them. We also request the government to help us where possible because our husband has been a great friend to the President and also a supporter of the NRM ruling party,” she said.

She thanked President Museveni for supporting his husband all the years when he was serving in the State House and later as a Presidential Advisor.

The state Minister for Microfinance, Mr Haruna Kasolo, said Mirundi contributed to the development of the area when he was still in State House.

“He always reminded the President of every pledge he had in our area and His Excellency fulfilled them in time. Many people didn’t recognize this,” he said.

Several dignitaries including Opposition legislators like Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu West] and Mr Aloysius Mukasa, [Lubaga South] hailed the deceased for his milestone in the journalism industry.

Mirundi’s 97-year-old mother Molly Mirundi who failed to come out of the house until her son was buried, requested to meet the President as a way of honouring the deceased.