Legislators have renewed the call to combat the rising cases of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which are claiming lives as Parliament paid glowing tribute to the late State Minister of Defence, Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi.
The late Hon. Nyirabashitsi, who was also the Kisoro District Woman Representative in Parliament, died of a heart attack, on Saturday, 07 September 2024.
The Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business, Robinah Nabbanja, who moved the motion to pay tribute to the late Nyirabashitsi, said that the government was alive to the devastating effects of NCDs such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension which although preventable are among the serious killers.
“As we pay tribute to our fallen colleague, allow me to state that Non-Communicable Diseases is another threat to our society, robbing us of game changers in the development of our country like Hon. Sarah Mateke,” said Nabbanja during the House chaired by Speaker, Anita Among on Tuesday, 10 September 2024.
She highlighted policies and programs such as the 2015 National Non-Communicable Diseases Policy and the National Non-Communicable Diseases Control Programme put in place to strengthen the fight.
“Government has introduced non-communicable disease services into primary healthcare services, established non-communicable disease clinics and specialised treatment centres to train healthcare workers on non-communicable diseases management,” she said.
Nabbanja also talked of a new initiative dubbed ‘Healthy Heart Africa’ to promote cardiovascular health in partnership with civil society organisations to promote non-communicable diseases awareness.
In a glowing tribute, legislators described the late Nyirabashitsi as a woman of integrity whose service as a Member of Parliament, Minister and former Senior Assistant Town Clerk for Kisoro Town Council was without scandals.
“In the six months she has been at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs there is no single scandal that was attached to her name, either defrauding fuel, which according to the Ministry of Defence would have dire consequences,” said Hon. Jacob Oboth, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
He described Nyirabashitsi as a team player who worked with diligence and competence such that he often delegated assignments of great importance to her.
“She has been involved in many international military and defence-related events, which you can only delegate to somebody able and capable of executing assignment at international level,” Oboth said.
The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, attested to the integrity with which Nyirabashitsi executed her ministerial duties and commended her efforts to uplift the position of youth and children.
“Of late the vice of corruption has continued to eat up our country, I did not hear Hon. Mateke’s name embroiled in any corruption scandal during her service, if there was one, then I missed it,” said Ssenyonyi adding, “when you would disagree with her it was difficult to feud with her because of her calmness. She was the kind of a person who could disarm you with her gentility.”
Legislators who had a close relation with Nyirabashitsi praised her distinct passion for the people she represented in Parliament, saying she spent most of her time in the constituency and was hardly late or absent for cabinet meetings.
Her passion for youth and children ranked high among Nyirabashitsi’s tributes, she is commended for advocating for teenage pregnant girls to remain in school following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She struggled with the issues related to teenage pregnancy and as a result, a policy was made that all teenage pregnant students should be allowed to sit exams and all of them excelled,” said Hon. Betty Amongi, the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Legislators prayed that Nyirabashitsi’s advocacy to rehabilitate street children should be taken up to its fruition. According to Amongi, only Shs20 million was available for rehabilitation of street children which she said was insufficient to cause a significant change.
The Vice-President, H.E Jessica Alupo, called on legislators to emulate Nyirabashitsi’s character as a unifier, a testimony she said is sung in Kisoro and in political circles.
“When I was in Kisoro for the installation of the Bishop of Muhabura Diocese, a few leaders who spoke talked well of Mateke and her family, especially in uniting the politicians of Kisoro. The Bishop himself commented on her in line with uniting people,” Alupo said.
The late Nyirabashitsi, who is survived by a son, will be buried in Nyakabingo in Kisoro on Thursday, 12 September 2024.