KAMPALA – Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine has described deceased People Power blogger Golooba Ssuna Batumidawo as a warrior who will never be replaced.
Golooba, who has been the manager of Ekyooto live, an online platform for a section of Ugandans based in South Africa, died in a car accident in South Africa this week.
Speaking during a vigil for the deceased in Kamwokya, a city suburb, on Friday, Bobi Wine said that despite not meeting Golooba physically before, he was impressed by his energy and patriotism. He urged the rest to follow Golooba’s example.
“We have lost a warrior; someone we can’t replace. But we have a lesson, everyone can use anything available to them to make a difference. Golooba used the power of social media to speak about the plight or our brothers and sisters.”
The deceased’s sister, Ms Veronica Batumidawo revealed that he was in upbeat mood and he gave her a call days before passing on, asking that she and the rest head to their ancestral home and rehabilitate it.
‘He (Golooba) asked that we go to our ancestral home and make some general cleaning there. He said there is no one at home, so we need to rehabilitate the house since no one is there. He kept pestering us. He sent money to make sure the house is well renovated and cleaned,” Veronica told mourners.
She said that last weekend, the group left Kampala to their ancestral home in Kalisizo where they did the cleaning and rehabilitation like Golooba had commanded.
“We finished the work on Saturday and we called him to say we are through, but he insisted that no one leaves the place unless we have dug around the graves. He even promised to facilitate the work financially to ensure everything was spick and span,” she added.
When all was done, Veronica narrates that they called Golooba again but he did not pick, only to call later and ask that they give him some minutes as he was driving.
That was the last time they had from him.
Golooba will be buried at Botera, in Bukunda village, Kalisizo. He is survived by two widows and two children; Jjunju Elvis Ssuna, 8, and Alisha Nassuna, 5.
