Achola donates 2,100 chairs, Fuso truck to ease burial costs in Pallisa

In Summary: The chairs, valued at Shs52.5 million before engraving, will be distributed at 100 per sub-county, while burial committees say the arrangement could significantly reduce their daily expenditure on chair hire.

Pallisa, Uganda — Pallisa Woman Member of Parliament Catherine Achola has donated 2,100 chairs and a Fuso truck to communities across the district in an initiative aimed at easing the financial and logistical burden of organising burials, weddings and other public functions.

For years, families in Pallisa have faced the additional expense of hiring chairs or borrowing them from neighbours whenever they lost a loved one, organised weddings or hosted community gatherings.

The challenge has particularly affected burial arrangements, where families already struggling with funeral expenses have had to find additional money to provide seating for mourners.

Achola’s donation is intended to address the challenge, with each of Pallisa’s 21 sub-counties receiving 100 chairs.

The Fuso truck will be used to transport the chairs to villages whenever they are needed and will also help ferry people during major community functions.

For ordinary households, particularly those organising funerals, the arrangement is expected to reduce the cost of hiring chairs and the logistical difficulties associated with securing them from different sources.

Achola said the initiative was inspired by the trust and support Pallisa residents showed her during the elections, adding that the donation was part of her effort to appreciate the electorate.

“These chairs and the Fuso truck are my way of appreciating the people of Pallisa for the trust and love they showed me. I want to assure you that this is just the beginning. There are many more things coming,” Achola said.

Seasoned politician Dr Owako Martin welcomed the intervention, saying the community had for years struggled with the shortage of chairs during burials and other functions.

Owako revealed that the 2,100 chairs were valued at Shs52.5 million before engraving, describing the donation as a response to a longstanding community need.

“For long, our people have suffered in silence during burials. This intervention touches the real grassroots,” Owako said.

From Kibale Sub-county, Emmanuel Olebo said the donation would save burial organising committees money that would otherwise be spent hiring chairs.

He estimated that the arrangement could save communities Shs630,000 daily, arguing that burials take place regularly across the district.

“Every day we bury. Every day we hire chairs. If you calculate 100 chairs at Shs500 to Shs700 per chair per day, per burial, across Pallisa, Achola has saved us Shs630,000 daily. That is huge,” Olebo explained.

In Akisim Sub-county, Mike Auki said residents who require the truck’s services would also benefit from the arrangement, noting that users would only need to provide fuel.

“Even when Hon. Achola gives condolence of Shs50,000, the chairs alone make her the highest contributor at any burial. She has already paid for the chairs. No one else brings 100 chairs to a funeral,” Auki said.

Residents said the arrangement would allow sub-counties to release their allocated chairs whenever communities organise burials, weddings or meetings, with the Fuso truck providing transportation, particularly to villages located far from trading centres.

Achola urged residents to embrace unity and put aside political differences in pursuit of development, emphasising that the chairs and truck should serve all community members regardless of their political affiliation.

The donation gives Pallisa communities a shared resource intended to reduce event-related expenses while improving access to seating and transportation during important social and community functions.