national 13 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Mbarara Widow Seeks Shs100 Million to Bring Daughter's Body Home from China
A Mbarara widow is desperately seeking Shs100 million to repatriate her daughter's body from China, where she died under mysterious circumstances. The family has lost contact with her for months and is now facing mounting costs for mortuary services. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/mbarara-widow-seeks-nearly-shs100m-to-repatriate-daughter-s-body-from-china-5495186
A grieving mother in Mbarara City is making an urgent plea for financial assistance to bring her daughter’s body back from China. Syson Karungi, 30, who traveled to the Asian country in 2023 seeking employment, reportedly died after collapsing during a meal.
Her mother, Mable Bamutorana, stated that Karungi, originally a casual labourer in Beijing, lost her job in April and had been unemployed for two months. The family tragically lost contact with Karungi on January 19, 2024, when her phone became unreachable.
Concerns escalated in March 2026 when an individual claiming to be from the Ugandan embassy contacted the family, inquiring about Karungi’s sister but offering no clarity on Karungi’s situation. The family later learned of her death, with initial reports suggesting she collapsed while eating.
Bamutorana expressed distress, noting that Karungi had no prior history of serious illness and the family has not received an official explanation for her death. A Ugandan acquaintance in China informed the family that Karungi’s body was moved to a mortuary in a different province, incurring daily storage fees of 600 yuan.
The cost of repatriating the body is estimated to be around Shs96 million. “We want to bring our daughter home and give her a dignified burial, but we do not have the means,” Bamutorana stated, appealing to President Museveni, government officials, and the public for help.