Ugandan officials send off Babirye’s body
The Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Turkey Chapter, Gloria Nyanzi Penpol has commended all parties that have worked tirelessly to ensure that the remains of the late Florence Babirye are returned to be buried at her ancestral home in Uganda.
Florence Babirye is the only known Ugandan who lost her life last month due to the devastating earthquakes that swept Turkey and Syria leaving more than 40,000 people dead.
For over 40 days, the family and relatives have been waiting for Babirye’s body to be repatriated as promised by the government of Uganda.
Finally, on Friday 17th, March 2023, her body was returned to Uganda and was buried on Saturday in Kibanyi Village, Ndagwe Sub-county in Lwengo district.
Babirye’s body was sent home by the Ambassador in Ankara, Nusura Tiperu, the 1st Secretary to the Ambassador, Joseph Barigye, the NRM Turkey Chapter Chairman, Ronald Macpioand Gloria Nyanzi.
The late Florence Babirye was laid to rest in Lwengo on Saturday
During the send off, Nyanzi appreciated the government of Turkey for working hand in hand with the Ugandan Embassy in Ankara to exhume and have Babirye’s body returned to Uganda.
“We are so grateful to Amb. Nusula and Mr. Barigye for tirelessly working towards according our sister a decent burial back home. It is everyone’s wish that once they die from a foreign country to have their bodies buried with their ancestors back home which our sister finally achieved,” Nyanzi said.
She commended the community leadership in Turkey, the NRM Turkey Chapter and the all the community members for all the moral and financial support rendered during the entire process.
Nyanzi called on the late’s family to remain comforted with belief that one day we shall all be reunited with our dear sister in the other life.
Authorities exhume Babirye’s body
The NRM leader appreciated the government of Turkey for the good hospitality and the support they have offered through the embassy to resettle all those that were affected by the Earth quakes that swept Hatay, Malatya and other parts in the country.
The first earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday 6th, February struck at 4.17am (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 18 kilometres (11 miles) near the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which is home to around two million people according to the US Geological Survey.
This was a 7.8-magnitude early morning quake, followed by dozens of aftershocks, that wiped out entire sections of major Turkish cities in a region filled with millions who have fled Syria’s civil war and other conflicts.
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