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Suzan Ezatia’s Last Public Appearance captured on Sunday July 12 2026 when she visited journalist Anzoo Evaline at Arua Regional Referral Hospital. By Dramadri Federick Arua City “The majority of the population in Uganda is women. I know they are the ones mana
Suzan Ezatia’s Last Public Appearance captured on Sunday July 12 2026 when she visited journalist Anzoo Evaline at Arua Regional Referral Hospital.
By Dramadri Federick
Arua City
“The majority of the population in Uganda is women. I know they are the ones managing the homes, but the system of getting money should not be by using your private parts. Go and work…” These were among the final public words of Suzan Ezatia, the Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development in the Lugbara cultural institution, known as Lugbara Kari. She made the remarks during the Lugbara Cultural Perspective programme on Radio Pacis in March this year, where she urged women to uphold dignity, work hard, and protect their marriages.
On Wednesday July 15 2026, shock and grief engulfed West Nile following Ezatia’s sudden death.
According to family members, Ezatia woke up in good health on Wednesday morning before suddenly collapsing in the bathroom at her home. She was rushed to Family Care Medical Centre for emergency treatment but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Speaking to the media, her nephew, Isaac Andama, who was raised by the deceased, described her final moments and the immense loss the family is enduring.
“When mummy fell, she had gone to the bathroom. She was groaning in pain and was still talking, asking that she be given a chance to rest on the bed. In the process, she started having what looked like a seizure. It was raining heavily and still very early in the morning, so it took some time before transport arrived. As soon as it came, she was rushed to Family Care Medical Centre. Even as the medical team tried to save her, her breathing gradually slowed until she passed on. Her body was later transferred to Arua Regional Referral Hospital for a postmortem examination. Since I started living with mummy, I had never known her to be admitted to hospital. She had always been healthy,” Andama said.
Ezatia was a highly respected leader within the Lugbara Chiefdom. Before assuming the Gender, Labour and Social Development portfolio, she served as the Minister for Education in the Lugbara Kari cabinet.
Throughout her service, she was a passionate advocate for the preservation of Lugbara cultural heritage, encouraging young people to embrace their talents, identity, and traditions. She also championed community unity and actively promoted cultural values across the region.
Beyond cultural leadership, Ezatia was widely recognised for her commitment to addressing gender-based violence. Working closely with the Uganda Police Force and civil society organisations, she spearheaded community dialogues aimed at protecting women and children from abuse and promoting peaceful families.
As Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, she consistently spoke out against teenage pregnancies, domestic violence, and other social injustices affecting communities in West Nile. Her advocacy earned her respect among cultural leaders, women, youth, and development partners.
Family friend Wadri Kasiano Ezatia described her death as an irreplaceable loss. “It is a great loss to us as a family, as a clan, as a region, and to the entire Lugbara community. I do not know anyone else with such kindness as Suzan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Martha Tiko Ondoga, the Lugbara Kari Cabinet Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, said the cultural institution had suffered yet another devastating loss, noting that Ezatia’s death comes barely three weeks after the passing of the institution’s Deputy Speaker.
“Three weeks ago, we lost our Deputy Speaker. This is terrible for us as Lugbara people—to lose two senior leaders within such a short period,” Tiko said.
By press time, neither the Lugbara Kari leadership nor Arua Regional Referral Hospital had issued an official statement regarding the cause of Ezatia’s death. Her body remained at the hospital mortuary awaiting a postmortem examination and further funeral arrangements.
Suzan Ezatia’s sudden passing has left family members, colleagues, cultural leaders, and the wider West Nile community mourning the loss of a dedicated public servant whose contributions to cultural preservation, gender equality, community development, and the welfare of women and children will be remembered for years to come.