Singer Halima Namakula has opened up about her final wishes, revealing that she does not want to be buried until all her children, especially those living abroad, have returned home to say their final goodbye.
Namakula shared the deeply personal request while attending the vigil of fellow legendary musician Moses Matovu, whose death has left Uganda’s entertainment industry and his fans in mourning.
The veteran singer, who is Muslim, acknowledged that Islamic teachings generally call for the deceased to be buried as soon as possible.
However, she said she has already made her wishes clear to her children — she wants her body preserved until every one of them is back home.
“I have told my children that when I die, don’t bury me until all of them have come.”
Namakula explained that her request is not meant to disregard her faith, but rather to give her children an opportunity to return home, mourn her properly and participate in the final farewell.
She said the death of Moses Matovu has also highlighted the importance of giving families and loved ones enough time to come to terms with the loss of someone they cherished.
According to Namakula, Matovu dedicated his life to building a lasting legacy, and therefore deserves a dignified farewell that gives relatives, friends and fans enough time to process his passing.
“Moses Matovu has worked for his legacy, so he deserves to be buried with dignity and for people to have time to digest his death.”
Namakula believes that, where circumstances allow, preserving a body for a short period can give relatives living far away an opportunity to travel home, pay their final respects and properly honour the deceased.
Her emotional remarks have since sparked a wider conversation about the delicate balance between religious burial practices, the wishes of the deceased and the emotional needs of grieving families
