The body arrived in Arua City in the early morning hours of Monday and was taken for a requiem Mass at Ediofe Cathedral, led by the Bishop Ordinary of Arua Diocese. In his homily, Bishop Odoki described the late Margaret Baba Diri as a dedicated and faithful Christian who remained steadfast in her faith until her passing.
Business came to a standstill in Koboko Town on Monday afternoon as the body of the late Woman Member of Parliament, Margaret Baba Diri, arrived in her home district. Hundreds of mourners lined the streets as early as 9 a.m., from Nyangilia, three kilometers away, to Koboko Town along the Arua-Koboko road, to receive the body of their beloved "Mama Margaret Baba Diri."
The body arrived in Arua City in the early morning hours of Monday and was taken for a requiem Mass at Ediofe Cathedral, led by the Bishop Ordinary of Arua Diocese. In his homily, Bishop Odoki described the late Margaret Baba Diri as a dedicated and faithful Christian who remained steadfast in her faith until her passing.
After the Memorial Mass at Ediofe Cathedral, which ended at 1 p.m., the body was transported to Koboko, where it was received by a large crowd of mourners and Boda Boda riders who wailed as they escorted the body to Koboko Boma Grounds, opposite the Hospital and Police Station, for public viewing.
As the crowds surged, businesses and offices in the entire town closed, while a procession of people and vehicles paralyzed traffic along the Arua-Koboko-Kaya highway.
Sounds of Sirens
Baba Diri passed away while being transported to Gary Homes Hospital in Maganjo, Kawempe Division, Kampala. Baba Diri, who was visually impaired, first joined Parliament in 1996 as a lawmaker for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). In 2005, she became the Woman MP for Koboko District, serving until 2021, making her one of the longest-serving legislators. She has been widely eulogized as a dedicated and irreplaceable leader.
She attended Kyambogo University and worked as a teacher at St. Charles Lwanga College in Koboko, as well as at the National Union of Disabled Persons Uganda and the Parliament of Uganda. Born on June 29, 1954, she passed away on January 9, 2025, at the age of 70.
In honor of her dedicated service, a regional council of local governments will hold a special session tomorrow, Tuesday, at the Koboko District Council Hall. Margaret Baba Diri will be laid to rest at the Koboko Catholic Parish Cemetery on Wednesday.