RUBIRIZI — The people of Bunyaruguru in Rubirizi District are mourning the death of Mzee Venturino Buturo Magunda, a respected elder and prominent member of the Magunda family, who has died at the age of 94. Born in 1931, Mzee Venturino passed away in 2026 after a life spanning more than nine decades, leaving behind a family legacy deeply rooted in Bunyaruguru and extending into Uganda’s public life.
Mzee Venturino Buturo Magunda succumbed while receiving treatment at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. His death has brought grief to his family, relatives, friends and the wider community, where he was known as an elder whose life covered generations of social and family history. His passing marks the end of a long chapter in the history of the Magunda family.
Mzee Venturino was born to the late Mzee Magunda and the late Ms. Viriginia Kamuhu Magunda. He was the eldest son in a family of ten children. Sadly, four of the children died while they were still young, including the first-born child. Mzee Venturino therefore became the eldest surviving son, carrying an important position within the family and growing up alongside his brothers and sisters.
Among his surviving siblings, Mzee Venturino was followed by Bishop Gidio, then Mzee Nkaburwa Vincent followed by Ms. Kabwisho Pasikazia and the late Heneranta. The youngest in the family is His Lordship Bart Magunda Katureebe, the former Chief Justice of Uganda. The family’s history has therefore produced a number of individuals who have played significant roles in their communities and, in the case of Justice Katureebe, at the highest levels of Uganda’s public service.
Beyond the family he was born into, Mzee Venturino also established a large family of his own. He is survived by his children, including the late Honorius Buturo, Kiiza Gloria Buturo, Julius Buturo, Major Oktaviasi Buturo, Tumwesigye Marius Buturo, Ms. Asiimwe, Ms. Tushabe Tugume Buturo, Rachel Buturo, Cadet Benjamin Buturo, Emmanuel Buturo and Mbabazi Buturo the last born. Through his children and grandchildren, Mzee Venturino leaves behind a family legacy that will continue across generations.
Among his children is Hon. Cadet Benjamin Buturo, the Member of Parliament representing Bunyaruguru County in Rubirizi District. His passing is therefore not only a personal loss to his immediate family but also a deeply significant moment for the wider family and community that knew him. His children, grandchildren, relatives and friends now face the difficult task of saying farewell to an elder who had been a central figure in their family history.
At 94, Mzee Venturino had witnessed profound changes in his family and community and lived long enough to see several generations grow before him. From the family of the late Mzee Magunda and Ms. Virginia Kamuhu Magunda, he became the eldest surviving son; from his own household, he became a father to a generation that has continued to serve and contribute to society in different ways. His life consequently leaves behind a story of family, endurance, responsibility and generations.
The burial programme and funeral arrangements will be communicated by the family in due course. As relatives, friends and members of the Bunyaruguru community come together to mourn, they will also celebrate the 94 years that Mzee Venturino Buturo Magunda lived and the family legacy he leaves behind. Scripture offers comfort to those grieving: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” — Matthew 5:4. May God grant the Magunda family strength and comfort during this difficult period, and may the soul of Mzee Venturino Buturo Magunda rest in eternal peace.
