Relatives, friends, and well-wishers gathered at Entebbe International Airport on Sunday to receive the body of the late Cecilia Atim Ogwal, former Dokolo District Woman Member of Parliament. The 77-year-old passed away on January 18, 2024, after battling cancer in an Indian hospital. Her final resting place will be at her home in Dog Gudu Cell, Alito Town Council, Kole district, with the burial scheduled for Saturday, January 27, 2024.
The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among, received Ogwal’s body at the airport. Following the arrival, Among expressed gratitude and respect for Ogwal’s dedicated service to the nation, mentoring, and the impact of her remarkable life, stating, “May the angels receive you in glory.”
As part of the burial program, Ogwal’s body will be taken from Entebbe Airport to Mulago Hospital in Kampala and subsequently to A-Plus Funeral home. It will then be transported to the late legislator’s residence in the Bugolobi suburb of Kampala for an overnight vigil.
President Yoweri Museveni has directed an official burial for Ogwal, as announced by the Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda. An official burial signifies that the government will cover all expenses and extend a gun salute to the veteran opposition politician, who served in Parliament since 1985, initially as a Constituent Assembly delegate (1985-1993) and later as an MP (1996-2024).
Tributes have poured in for Ogwal, known as the “Iron Lady” of the opposition, with many acknowledging her skilled and mature approach to politics, describing her as a no-nonsense leader.
| Event | Location |
|---|---|
| Body Arrival | Entebbe International Airport |
| Transfer to Hospital | Mulago Hospital, Kampala |
| Transfer to Funeral Home | A-Plus Funeral Home |
| Overnight Vigil | Bugolobi, City Suburb |
| Official Burial | Dog Gudu Cell, Alito Town Council, Kole district |
