The funeral of former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) women’s league spokesperson and activist Sarah Eperu turned tumultuous in Ngora District, as the party’s internal divisions took center stage instead of honoring the deceased.
Mourners clashed at Eperu’s burial in Koloin, Ngora District, on Saturday, with the Katonga and Najjanankumbi factions of the FDC trading accusations of ‘body theft’ and exclusion.
The dispute escalated into a heated confrontation, prompting outraged attendees to intervene and suspend the proceedings.
The funeral took a contentious turn when angry mourners began arguing over who should deliver speeches, leading the priest to proceed with the burial without speeches from dignitaries.
Dr. Kizza Besigye, the chief mourner, expressed dismay over the abrupt halt to speeches and the exclusion of parliamentary representatives from paying tribute to Eperu.
However, FDC resident Patrick Amuriat accused Besigye of undermining the solemnity of Eperu’s funeral, alleging that Besigye’s actions turned it into a mockery.
Amuriat’s faction draped the casket with an FDC flag, claiming responsibility for the funeral arrangements.
Addressing the gathering, Koloin Parish Priest Rev. Fr. John Eriau urged reconciliation and emphasized the importance of forgiveness in overcoming political tensions.
Hundreds of mourners gathered to bid farewell to Eperu, a devoted political and human rights activist who dedicated her life to FDC party mobilization. Eperu, who passed away from renal complications at Life Link Hospital in Kampala, was laid to rest at her ancestral home in Koloin.
