Memorial agony of tragic Mercy’s grieving family
Dad says prayer service postponed
The family of tragic Mercy B ag u m a yesterday cancelled a memorial service for her in Uganda.
The 34-year- old mum was found dead next to her crying baby at their f lat in Glasgow earlier this month.
A prayer ser v ice was expected to take place in her home town, east of the capital Kampala, yesterday morning.
But dad Abdul Kakendo said it had been postponed as the family awaited more details about how Mercy died.
He also said the attention surrounding his daughter’s death contributed to the cancellation.
The asylum seeker was discovered at her home in Govan on August 22. The alarm was raised after her 12- month- old son was heard crying.
It is feared she may have lain dead for four days.
Mercy is expected to be buried in Uganda next month. Her death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. Abdul said : “Preparations are under way to return her body in two weeks’ time. As a family, we have decided she should rest in peace.”
The tragedy has led to calls from campaigners for changes to the way asylum seekers are treated in the UK.
Refugee charity Positive Action in Housing said Mercy had lived in “extreme poverty” after losing her job when her right to work expired.
The former restaurant worker, who had intially come to the UK as a student in about 2005, had sought support from the charity on August 11.
Fi r s t Minister Nicol a Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament she felt “consumed with sadness and anger” after learning of the incident.
The Home Office have vowed to carry out a full investigation into the circumstances of her death.
A fundraiser for Mercy has raised nearly £ 50,000 since the tragedy.