In West Nile in the 1960s to late 1990s, death was announced by a muscular youth on a Hero or Bayoun bicycle, leaves mounted in front, ringing the bell for three minutes as he neared relatives’ homes. He was thanked with a cock.
That was when there were no phones, radio announcements or WhatsApp.
Today, death starts with airtime to call relatives, radio announcements, mortuary fees, and ends with millions spent on feeding mourners.
For many households, a burial now costs Shs5m to Shs15m in a sub-region where poverty stands at 39% of 3.2 million people, according to UBOS 2024.
“Death no longer ends with grief. It begins with a huge bill,” families say.
From communal to commercial
Alur culture values community, elders and solidarity. Mourners brought food, firewood and sat under a tree. Burial was in 2-3 days with communal contributions.
Now commercialisation, religion and social pressure have changed it.
Elder James Muchek Chombe said a poor burial brings shame.
“If you serve mourners with only posho and beans, neighbours will gossip. People would say that family is poor, they failed to respect their father,” Chombe told Daily Monitor Monday.
“So people fear what people will say. If mourners and in-laws come from far and find no bulls slaughtered, they will say the person died miserably and didn’t leave responsible sons and daughters.”
Traditionally bodies were kept at home, not in mortuaries.
“We need to sensitise our people to adopt less expensive burials to stabilise our economy. If not, we shall remain poor because we are not following our right Alur culture,” Chombe said.
Former Zombo LC5 chair Emmy Kizito Kakura said families now sell belongings.
“We are copying other people’s culture without knowing the economic complication. The issue of mortuary should be discouraged. If a person dies, he must be buried within two days. The longer the body stays in the refrigerator, the more cost,” Kakura said.
He said budgets he has seen hit Shs10-15m, forcing land sales and loans.
Elly Adriko said: “We had to sell land and postpone burial because we had not collected enough money to feed mourners. We spent Shs70,000 per day for body preservation.”
“This became costly. We preserved body for five days and spent Shs350,000 and buried my dad on sixth day,” Adriko said.
The bill
Coffin, embalming, mortuary, food for days, transport, tents, chairs, public address system, church/mosque, grave, wreaths, fuel, accommodation and livestock.
Teacher John Bazilio Ongwech said: “I borrowed Shs8m salary loan for decent sendoff of my late father in 2015 but up to now I have financial implications. I gave my late father a good send off. Now I am struggling to pay for my children in good schools because I spent beyond my salary.”
In Arua City, Justine Yekoko said: “When I lost my mother in April 2026, family was in financial crisis. But because we wanted decent burial, we had to borrow Shs3m from microfinance. Burials have become more expensive and are leaving families in debts.”
What faith leaders say
Padyere Central Muslim County Sheikh Hamza Opoki said: “Have a little budget to bury your loved ones so that rest of money must be handed over to family to cater for orphans or widows.”
“In Islamic faith, when we lose beloved one, we come up with minimal budget of Shs100,000 for buying two wrapping cloths if deceased is male. But if female, budget could extend to Shs150,000 because female needs five wrapping pieces,” Opoki said. “We don’t allow deceased’s family to cook food but neighbours feed those who have come.”
Anglican Pastor at Nebbi Town Church, Rev Henry Ruben Ubedgiwu said: “In past, burial was less expensive because person would spend only two days and is buried. We need to reflect example of Jesus, Jesus died on Friday and was buried same day and less was spent, only wrapping clothes were used.”
Bishop of Nebbi Diocese, Rt Rev Pons Ozele Awinjo, urged in-laws to stop demanding goats and clerics to stop demanding transport: “When you are called to bury someone don’t select burials, go and bury because they have provided or failed to provide transport. These families are struggling.”
Alur Kingdom Prime Minister Prince Lawrence Opar Angala said: “This is not Alur culture. People would bring food, firewood, millet, sit under tree and plan. They never said sell land to buy most expensive coffins. This is showbiz, competition, and politics. The dead don’t need catering services, PA system, hiring of tents but living need school fees, feeding.”
Uganda Funeral Services advertises Christian packages from Shs1.5m to Shs5.35m and Muslim package at Shs2m, excluding feeding.
THE COST OF BURIALS IN THE PAST 1990’s
1 bull valued @ Shs 150,000
3 goats was @ 60,000
Coffin was @50,000
Two pieces of white clothes or blanket was at Shs 10,000
No transport was given to the religious leaders to preside over the mass/service.
CURRENT BURIAL COSTS
Transport for religious leaders Shs150,000=
A Bull at Shs 1.8 million
Public Address System Shs 500, 000
Treating body Shs 150,000- Shs 2,000,000 (depending on number of days)
Feeding mourners Shs 5,000,000/=
Coffin from Shs 250,000 to Shs 1.5 million
Suit (Male)- Shs 200,000
Gomesi (female)- 250,000
Wrapping clothes- Shs 100,000
Grave construction- Shs 2 million (funeral services)
Hiring of tents and Chairs- Shs 2 million
Transporting relatives Shs 500,000 (depends on the distance)
Hiring of Funeral services —————–Shs 5 million