By Victor Turinawe
Ryan Kubahika, a fourth-year law student at Uganda Christian University (UCU) died due to lack of oxygen. This was revealed during a requiem mass that was held for him at St Charles Lwanga Catholic Church, Bugujju on Saturday May 30th.
Kubakika’s father, Bruno Tumwesigye, a member of the Uganda Police Force (UPF), said, “The cause of his death, according to the post-mortem report, was lack of oxygen, a congested brain, and, from the X-ray pictures, blood clots around the heart and lungs.”
During the mass, family, students, staff members and friends who bid farewell to Kubahika, remembered him as a happy person who celebrated life whenever the opportunity came his way.
Kubahika, the son of Tumwesigye and Annet Kiconco, died on the evening of Friday May 29th.
One of his close friends, Bill Brian Agaba shared that Kubahika has been fine for most of that day, when he suddenly deteriorated.
“Upon arriving at my hostel, he came to my room and we started playing indoor games. Shortly afterwards, he went to my bed for a short rest as I went to buy food for us to eat alongside our other friends,” Agaba said.
Agaba however was concerned about Kubahika because he rarely slept on a Friday evening, as he would usually be busy having a good time with his friends.
“Upon checking on him, I found him in a bad situation, struggling to breathe. We rushed him to Ebenezer Clinic, but the medical worker there advised us to refer him to a better-equipped hospital as he could not manage his condition. We then rushed him on a motorcycle to Mukono Hospital for medical attention,” explained Agaba.
Agaba added that when they got to Mukono Hospital, the doctor received him and began working on him as his friends waited outside. But about five minutes later, the doctor pronounced him dead and his friends then took on the responsibility of informing the UCU community and his family members.
Tumwesigye, while eulogising his son, said, “My sister posted a message in the family WhatsApp group saying that, ‘I am seeing a spirit of death’. We prayed over it. I had wanted to travel to Mbarara, but my wife stopped me because of that. Shortly afterwards, my boss in the UPF, Tom Magambo, lost his biological son, Timothy Magambo, and I had to attend his burial. After viewing Timothy’s body in a coffin, I also saw my own biological son, Ryan Kubahika, dead in a coffin, which came to reality yesterday. Death is something we cannot run away from. I believe he lived his life to the fullest, so we are here to celebrate his life and not to mourn his life.”
The siblings of Kubahika, led by Mennese Komugisha, eulogised him as a good brother who they will miss forever, describing him as joyful and friendly all the time.
Tom Chiplakat, who represented Ms Enid Mugarura the Director of Students Affairs (DOSA) at UCU, thanked the parents of Kubahika for nurturing their son well, as he had a spirit of relating peacefully with colleagues.
“98% of human life is relationships with one another and above all have a relationship with your God. Ryan knew God, a reason we are here in church,” noted Chiplakat.
On behalf of the deceased’s friends, Agaba remembered Kubahika as a person who made him happy. “Konka guy noshemeza,” he said, meaning, “He made me happy.”
Other friends, John Albert Muwanika, the publicity secretary of Launchpad Club at UCU, and Derrick Kakooza, the Guild Speaker of the 28th Guild Government, eulogised him as a great student who was more than a brother to them.
“In our upcoming Launchpad sessions, we shall hold a candle-lighting ceremony for him in his honour and memory,” said Muwanika.
On behalf of the UPF, Superintendent of Police (SP) Annabella Nyiramahoro advised students to be careful with their lives.
“Death is inevitable; it can find you anywhere. Ryan died in a very safe place. His parents are hurt, but it would be more hurtful if he had died in a reckless place,” said Nyiramahoro.
Preaching during the mass, the Parish Priest Rev Fr Vianney Kyeyune, asked believers to prepare themselves while still living because God can call them at any time according to His will.
Kubahika, who was born on 5 July, 2003, was 22 at the time of his death. He was a Bachelor of Laws (LLB 4) student and a member of Stream C. Burial is slated to take place at his ancestral home in Nyarushanje Sub-county, Rukungiri District, in South Western Uganda on Monday June 1st.
