The body of Cedric Ndilima Babu, the son of former Kampala Central Member of Parliament Capt. Francis Babu and prominent businesswoman Olive Zaitun Kigongo, arrived at Entebbe International Airport Wednesday morning, marking the somber return of a man whose name carried weight in both sports and media.
The coffin, draped in solemnity and grief, was met by close family and representatives of Uganda Funeral Services, who later confirmed the arrival in photos shared on their official X account (formerly Twitter). From the airport, Babu’s remains were moved to the funeral home in Bukoto.
A vigil will begin tonight at his Kololo residence and continue through Thursday, as family, friends, and former colleagues come to terms with the loss. Cedric Babu died on Saturday, May 31, at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi from heart complications, according to family sources. He was 48.
Thursday will see a public tribute organized by the National Council of Sports at Lugogo Indoor Stadium. Originally slated for 2:00 p.m., the start time has been moved up to 11:30 a.m. in anticipation of a large crowd. Sports figures, fellow media personalities, and fans are expected to gather for the remembrance.
A requiem mass will be held at Rubaga Cathedral on Friday, followed by his final journey to Kamengo in Mpigi District. Burial is scheduled for Saturday, June 7.
Babu was a fixture in Uganda’s entertainment and athletic landscape. He hosted “The Cedric Live Show” on UBC, served as president of the Uganda Tennis Association, and was a prominent voice in the Patriotic League of Uganda. But to many, it was his energy, authenticity, and persistent belief in youth potential that defined him.
Dennis Mbidde Ssebugwawo, a former Fufa vice president and parliamentary candidate for Lubaga South, knew Babu long before the accolades.
“Cedric was one of those rare individuals; the game came to him naturally,” Mbidde said, remembering their days at St Mary’s College Kisubi in the late ’80s. “He was what I can compare to football’s Fred Tamale and Jackson Mayanja. Things came effortlessly to them and that was the case for Cedric when he stepped onto the court.”
He paused before adding a story.
“I recall a tennis game in 1989 or 1990 when he took on Paul Busharizi who was in A-level and we were in O-level,” he said. “Busharizi was a very good tennis player but obviously we came out in numbers to support our own Cedric, who was the smaller, younger and less fancied.”
Ambrose Tashobya, chairman of the National Council of Sports, worked with Babu on Olympic reforms more than a decade ago.
“He was reliable and always available,” Tashobya said. “We had a core team that we worked with and you could always rely on his word in times when we needed to know who was with us, and who wasn’t.”
As the days ahead unfold with vigils, tributes, and farewells, many say they will remember Cedric Babu not just for what he did — but for how he did it: with warmth, conviction, and a tireless spirit that refused to dim.
