Businessman Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige popularly known as BMK has been laid to rest at the Nkoowe Muslim Cemetery in Wakiso District.
BMK breathed his last on Friday Morning at Agha Khan Hospital Nairobi, ending his six-years battle against prostate cancer, a disease he was diagnosed with in November 2015. Upon diagnosis, the cancer was in advanced stages but BMK lived beyond a one month deadline experts had predicted.
His body arrived in the country yesterday Saturday, and prayers conducted at two of his homes before another prayer was conducted Sunday morning at Masjid Musa – Hotel Africana. He was later taken to the cemetery in Nkoowe where the last prayer was conducted before some of his sons and close friends carried and lowered his body in the grave at around half past 4pm.
Hundreds of people including prominent religious leaders and officials from the Buganda and Central government joined in the sendoff.
The Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga described BMK as an incredible and brave man who risked to leave his father’s business in Masaka to establish his own, exploring different districts and countries.
He says BMK was a trustworthy man, a virtue that helped him prosper in business. He described the man who dropped out of school early as a great student who endeavored to study and enrich himself with knowledge. He studied the English language and accounting as an adult.
Mayiga further praised BMK for working closely with his family in his business and for training his children too. The Katikkiro also delivered sympathies from the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.
The Minister of Transport and Works Gen. Katumba Wamala says BMK served and helped with a lot of humility different from others who give for the cameras to be seen.
Katumba who represented the President read verbatim the president’s speech. The president described BMK as a great entrepreneur and job creator. The president said BMK leaves a legacy that all especially young people should emulate.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among also praised the late for his contribution to the development of the country.
She promised to have a motion moved in parliament to name one of the streets in Kampala after BMK so as to honor his legacy.
Former Supreme Muft Shk. Sulaiman Ndirangwa described the late as a well behaved and a charitable person to both family and non-family members. He said BMK uplifted his family educating children of his relatives and even non family members.
He also praised him for engaging in health campaigns including the Uganda Sickle Cell Rescue Foundation that works with children living with sickle cell.
Shk. Ndirangwa urged Muslims to emulate BMK and be humble despite their financial muscle.
Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Yahya Semuddu narrated how in 2015, the late visited him in Riyaadh Saudi Arabia and asked him to escort him to the Kaaba where he wanted to spend his last days as doctors had told him he wouldn’t live beyond December 2015.
He also praised BMK for being humble and humane despite his wealth and for loving Islam and Uganda.
BMK’s son Ali Kibirige narrated how his dad started complaining of a backache while on a business trip in Japan in 2015. He went to Thailand for an operation but was soon diagnosed with cancer. From then, he visited the best cancer hospitals in the USA, UK, Israel, Germany and Thailand until last year when he retired to Agha Khan Hospital on advice of doctors that he avoids long journey flights.
Owekitiibwa Kaddu Kiberu whose friendship with BMK had turned into brotherhood says the late was planning to write a book titled “Fighting Cancer” to share his experience battling the disease. KIberu says, together with family, they shall ensure the book is written with some content gathered from notes of the late Kibirige. The deceased was a good record keeper.
BMK leaves behind two widows, children and grandchildren.
