Families clash over dead body in Masindi

Masindi: Residents of Kasomoro Village in Buruli County, Masindi District, were left in shock on Wednesday afternoon when two families clashed over the burial of Aisha Mbabazi.

Mbabazi, who passed away on Tuesday evening, had been married to Abdul Ahmed Byarugaba for 20 years. The couple had nine children together and lived in the same area.

Byarugaba, the deceased’s husband, told our reporter that the family had agreed to bury Mbabazi at his home.

However, the in-laws rejected this plan and insisted on taking the body to Mubende District for burial.

Byarugaba confirmed that a grave had already been dug at his home, and the disagreement delayed burial preparations.

Faruk Tibamwenda, the deceased’s brother and heir, explained that he had tried to resolve the conflict by speaking with another brother, Ramathan.

However, Ramathan refused to agree, insisting that the body should be taken to Mubende for burial. Tibamwenda added that although some family members suggested Mbabazi be buried at her marital home, the proposal was rejected by the Mubende faction.

Tibamwenda also revealed that Ramathan and his group had previously sold their share of the family land and moved to Mubende, where they eventually took the body.

Despite the family’s agreement to bury Mbabazi in Masindi, the Mubende relatives forcibly took the body, prompting a further escalation.

The conflict was further fueled by claims that the full dowry had not been paid. Tibamwenda indicated that the situation was worsened by these ongoing disagreements.

Three graves were reportedly dug at the marital home, the ancestral home, and the ancestral land in response to the family’s inability to reach a consensus.

Yosam Majara, the LC1 Chairperson of Kasomoro Village, confirmed that the scuffle arose over the burial site. Majara expressed his concern, noting that this was the first such incident in the area.

He urged married couples to meet cultural requirements, including the payment of dowry, to prevent future disputes.

Byarugaba dismissed the dowry claims, stating that he had partially paid the dowry in 2005 and 2006. He expressed his disappointment, noting that all burial arrangements had already been finalized and that the conflict had caused unnecessary delays.

By the time this story was filed, the body had been taken to Mubende District for burial.

This is not the first such incident in Masindi. In October 2025, the burial of a 14-year-old girl was delayed in Pakanyi Sub-County after her parents clashed over who had the right to bury her remains.

The dispute, which took place in Kiruuli Village, involved the girl’s mother, Caroline, and her father, Ausi Kiiza of Katumba Village.

Caroline had taken her daughter’s body from the hospital and planned to bury her at her maternal home, where a grave had already been dug.

However, Kiiza, who had been absent from his daughter’s life, showed up demanding to bury her at his home instead.

The conflict escalated when Caroline’s family demanded UGX 5 million in compensation and reimbursement of hospital expenses, a demand Kiiza refused to meet.

Police intervention helped mediate the situation, and it was agreed that Lillian would be buried at her mother’s home in Kiruuli. The burial was postponed to Thursday, October 30, 2025, after a late agreement was reached.

ASP Solomon Mugisa, the Albertine North Region Community Liaison Officer, condemned the incident, urging the public to avoid disturbing the peace of the deceased.

He advised families to seek peaceful solutions and involve community leaders when disputes arise.

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