A LEADING African politician today paid an international tribute to Ipswich woman Kari Boto.

A LEADING African politician today paid an international tribute to Ipswich woman Kari Boto.

Mrs Boto, who worked as a senior director for the BBC World Service Trust under the name Kari Blackburn, died last week after a drowning accident in the sea at Felixstowe.

Tributes have poured in for the 53-year-old, and, today, Uganda democratic party president John Ssebaana Kizito joined the mourners.

Via The Evening Star's online tribute section, he said: “The death of Kari Blackburn comes as a great shock to me. It is as unexpected as it is devastating.

“I first met Kari in 1982 when she was working on African programmes on the BBC.

“She interviewed me in my capacity as shadow minister of foreign affairs in Uganda. I was amazed by her knowledge of Uganda which was evident from her questions and comments.

“I met Kari again in Ipswich five years ago and I was surprised to find that she was the wife of my friend Dr Tom Boto and that they were close friends of my son-in-law and daughter James and Joyce Kajoba.

“I vividly recall the happy moments we had at their home whenever I visited Ipswich. I will miss those moments very much.

“I am sure her former colleagues at BBC will miss her that much. I pray for Dr Tom Boto to withstand the pain of the loss and the soul of Kari to rest in eternal peace.”

Ssebaana Kizito is the former mayor of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. Last year he was the democratic party's candidate in the presidential election.

N To pay your tributes to Mrs Boto, go to www.eveningstar.co.uk and follow the link to the tribute section.