Angelina Nabakooza, who was 109 years old, died on September 29, 2022, at her home in Nsambya village, Lwentare parish, Mitima Sub-county in Sembabule District. She was the pride and joy of the people of Mawogola County and Sembabule as a whole.
David Kyewalabye Male will be in charge of the committee. William SK Matovu, Muhammad Sserwadda, Jude Muleke, and Joseph Mugaga will help him.
In a statement released on September 29, the information minister of Buganda Kingdom, Noah Kiyimba, called Nabakooza "the bravest woman in Buganda Kingdom history" for hiding Sir Edward Muteesa II when his life was in danger from Apollo Milton Obote, who was the Prime Minister at the time.
After a fight between Idi Amin's troops and the Royal Guards at the Mengo Palace on May 23, 1966, Muteesa ran away.Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, who was king at the time, said that in the four days after the fight, everyone in the Kingdom thought that Muteesa had been killed.
"For three or four days, we thought he was dead. He said in an interview, "No one knew what had happened to him."
Meanwhile, Muteesa's escape journey had taken him down the dirt roads from Lubaga Cathedral heading West. When he got to Ssembabule, he decided to take a break. While he was resting, one of his helpers, Mumiransananfu, got in touch with Nabakooza. The two stayed with her for 20 days while she fed them. They did this because they knew she was loyal to the Kabaka.
But this safety would soon be broken by a Shs250,000 (about Shs60 million) reward for information about Muteesa's whereabouts and a military manhunt that was started to find him.
Joyce Mpanga, a respected Muganda, said, "Two months later, I think in July 1966, the Kabaka showed up in Bujumbura. From there, plans were made for him to get travel papers to go to London."Even though Muteesa died of alcohol poisoning in London a few years later, Nabakooza's brave act will always be remembered in Buganda's history.
In March 2009, she was given the Order of the Shield and Spears (Ekitiibwa ky'Amafumu n'Engabo), which is the best bravery award in the kingdom. TributeStephen Lwetutte, a lawyer and activist for human rights who lives in London, wrote a tribute to the late Angelina Nabakooza.
"Angelina Nabakooza was a hero who wasn't known until 2009, when she was given Buganda's highest honor, The Order of the Shield and Spears (Ekitiibwa ky'Amafumu n'Engabo). She was part of a small group of people who saw the illegal attack on Buganda in May 1966.
It's great that she and many others were honored during her lifetime for their work for the kingdom, especially for protecting Ssekabaka Muteesa II during the month he spent in Uganda after Obote's attack on May 23, 1966, before he fled into exile.
By doing this, she made and added to Uganda's modern history. In a normal country, the central government would also recognize and honor her, since Buganda's history is also Uganda's destiny. No matter what, Nabakooza's name will always be remembered in Buganda, even after she has died.
She has lived a very long life. Since the attack, she has seen a sad time in the history of Buganda and Uganda, but she has also been honored by Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II himself. Rest in peace, our beautiful hero!'" it says in the tribute.
Leo Kayiwa, her grandson, said that she gave her family a sense of safety and care."She has been a rock in our family, and we will miss her," Kayiwa said.
A member of Buganda Lukiiko (Parliament), Wamala Kuwatanya Mawogola, praised the dead woman for bringing honor to the kingdom and said that her brave act will be remembered for years to come.