Minister Musasizi hails fallen Kabale councilor

By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba.

apearlnews.com

The State Minister for general duties in the Finance Ministry, Henry Musasizi Arigannyira, and the State Minister for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, David Bahati, have hailed the former Deputy Speaker of the Council of Kabale Municipality, Ronald Hakizimana Bifabusha, for his consistency in supporting the ruling NRM party. Bifabusha, who was also the LC.4 Councilor representing Lower Bugongi Ward and a renowned NRM die-hard in Kabale Municipality, breathed his last on January 23, 2022, succumbing to illnesses related to diabetes which he had battled since 2018.

He died at Kamukira Health Centre IV at age 33. Musasizi,     who was the chief mourner at the send-off ceremony held at St. Luke Bugongi Catholic Church on Friday, revealed that Bifabusha was his long-time friend and political supporter.  

“Ronald was part of the team that used their own resources to campaign for me while I contested for the Rubanda East Parliamentary seat both in 2011 and 2016.

He would ride a motorcycle through the campaigns, gathering support for me, “Musasizi said, adding that the late Bifabusha had sacrificed all he had for the NRM during his political career.    

The Kabale District NRM Chairperson, who doubles as the Kabale District NRM Secretary, described the late Bifabusha as a reliable NRM Cadre and hardworking leader whose legacy would stay in the NRM history of Kabale District. Bahati’s written speech was read by the Kabale District NRM secretary for publicity, Edison Turyahabwa alias “Political,” and he contributed UGX 2 million to the burial expenses.

Mp Kabale Municipality Dr. Nicholas Kamara (FDC) described the late Bifabusha as a gifted counselor who had excelled in making a network of friends both within the ruling and opposition sides.

Kamara noted that Ronald called him for assistance in looking for a doctor when he was admitted at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital a few days before his death.        

Meanwhile, the wife of the late Bifabusha, now widowed, Deborah Owembabazi, thanked friends, relatives, the church, and Kabale District politicians who supported her husband as he battled diabetes.

She singled out Min. Bahati, who provided financial assistance to the family, and Former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, who provided psycho-social support to the late.

Bifabusha was reportedly admitted at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital last week, discharged a few days later without proper treatment before he sought help from his friend, Dr. Ivan Mubangizi, a medical officer at Kamukira HC.IV, where he was admitted on Tuesday and died on Thursday this week.  

His body was laid to rest in the Kabale Municipal Council, and former colleagues paid their respects to him before proceeding to his home village, Lower Bugongi, Northern Division, Kabale Municipality.     born in Kabale District on September 6, 1989, to the late Bifabusha and Ms. Idaya Nabakooza.

He lost his father when he was in P.7 at Kigezi High School Primary. With the help of his grandfather, the young Bifabusha finished primary school and joined Nyabikoni Secondary School for both O’ and A’ levels, where he went ahead to win an election to become the school’s head prefect.

His academic journey is not clear after secondary school, but family sources say that Bifabusha later went for a short course in plumbing, after which he decided to join politics around 2010.  

He was elected as the Northern Division LC.3 Youth Councilor representing Lower Bugongi Ward in 2011 before he joined the Kabale Municipal Council as the LC.4 Male Councilor representing the same ward in 2016. Bifabusha was re-elected in 2021 and, by the time of his death, he was the Deputy Speaker of the Kabale Municipality Council.

He left behind a widow and two children (a boy and a girl).