The Government of Uganda will accord the late Archbishop of Kampala Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, an official state burial, the Daily Express has learnt.
In a meeting convened by Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda with several senior ministers on Easter Monday, the Government resolved to plan and coordinate with the Catholic Church and the family for the burial of the late Archbishop Lwanga.
The meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) was attended by Esther Mbayo, Minister for the Presidency, DrJane Ruth Aceng, Minister of Health, Gen Elly Tumwine, Minister for Security, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, Minister for Public Service and Gen Jeje Odongo, Minister for Internal Affairs.
Others present were Judith Nabakooba, Minister for Information and National Guidance, Dr JC Muyingo, Minister of State for Higher Education, Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Minister of State for Health, Fr Simon Lokodo, Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, David Karubanga, Minister for State for Public Service and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs.
Dr John Mitala, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet as well as Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director-General of Health Services, also attended the meeting, according to a press release from the OPM.
The meeting first received an update from a team of three ministers Muyingo, Nakiwala Kiyingi and Dr Joyce Kaducu ( state Minister for health) who have been attending meetings with the church and family on behalf of Government.
The Prime Minister informed the meeting that as soon as the tragic news of the death of Archbishop Kizito Lwanga was received, President Yoweri Museveni expressed his condolences to the church, the family, and the country, and directed that the late be accorded an Official Burial.
Museveni consequently asked the Prime Minister to coordinate the arrangements closely with the Church and family.
An official burial involves the Government working closely with the church and family and meeting costs of burial arrangements.
It also includes paying tribute during a sitting of Parliament.
A series of events to send off the late Archbishop Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has been planned at Rubaga Cathedral, Kololo Independence Grounds, Uganda Martyrs Shrines Namugongo, and Kyabakadde.
Julius Mucunguzi, the head of communication at OPM said details for these events will be communicated in due course.
‘A key feature, the meeting noted, is the need to manage the expected large numbers in a manner that is consistent with the Standard Operating Procedures to combat the spread of Covid 19,’ he said.
Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga died of an ‘Ischemic Heart Disease’ according to the postmortem results released on Monday afternoon.
Dr. Charles Ssekitoleko who is also the Archdiocesan Health Coordinator of the Kampala Archdiocese told mourners that the prelate’s death followed a coronary artery thrombosis.
“This means a heart attack that is due to a blood clot that was found in the artery that supplies blood to the heat,” he said.
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