KAMPALA – The family of Dada Nabamba Budhagali, the oracle of Bujagali falls who died on Saturday, has appealed to the government to help them clear his hospital bills amounting to UGX7 million.
Budhagali succumbed to diabetes and high blood pressure at Nile Hospital in Jinja district on Saturday, aged 113 years.
According to Betty Namande, his eldest daughter, they are stuck with medical bills.
Dr Edrine Mulema, the Medical director at Nile Hospital, said at the time of his admission, the deceased was ingesting food through a tube and could neither talk nor move his body as the left side of his body was paralyzed.
He added that Budhagali’s condition slightly improved though there were some ‘essential tests’ they wished to carry out but the family could not afford to pay for them.
Ms Masitula Lukoowe Kyonaza, the widow and Ms Namande, on Sunday said Budhagali will tentatively be laid to rest on November 2, eight days after he died.
However, according to the spiritual norm, nobody, including the embalmer, his wife or children, will be allowed to see his body.
Traditional healers, including Mandwa Mwiri and Mandwa Wansimba have accordingly been tasked with enforcing this directive; and indeed, traditional healers who thronged Budhagali in Budondo Sub-county were stopped from seeing the body.
It is alleged in hierarchy of traditions that Dada Budhagali is ‘next to’ the Queen of England, meaning he’s above Maama Fiina, Ssenga Kulanama, Kinagoidhi and other traditional healers/witchdoctors.
