Gen Tumwine burial Tuesday

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The late Gen. Elly Tumwine will be laid to rest on Tuesday.

Tumwine died on Thursday in  Nairobi. His body was returned to the Country on Friday evening and taken to a funeral home at the Bombo Military Hospital.

According to a statement issued by the the Spokesperson of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces-UPDF, Brig Gen. Felix Kulaigye, the army together with the deceased’s family have now harmoniced the funeral program. He says that an official vigil will be held at the residence of the late Tumwine in Nakasero on Sunday, starting at 4pm.

A requiem Service will be held on Monday 29th at Kololo Independence Grounds and thereafter his body transported to the ancestral home in Mukuru, Rwemikoma Sub County , Kazo district.

On Tuesday 30th, a funeral Service will then be held at the deceased country home in Mukuru and thereafter burial.

“There will be invitations for some categories of mourners for the requiem Service at Kololo Independence Grounds. Those to be invited will be contacted by the Directorate of Protocol and will be required to undergo COVID-19 tests at Kololo on Sunday 28th August,” says Brig. Gen. Kulaigye.

He adds that the rest of the mourners will join the requiem Service at Kololo are equally welcome and would be guided by protocol on the sitting arrangement, in view of the prevailing situation of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gen. Tumwine succumbed to lung cancer at the Agha Khan Hospital, Nairobi according to an announcement to the country by President Yoweri Museveni.

The war hero has been the longest serving Member of Parliament, after spending over three decades in the Parliament of Uganda.

Tumwine was part of the 41 men who waged war against the Obote government in February 1981 and  in January 1986, the rebel army under the leadership of current President Yoweri Museveni captured political power in Kampala. The group has held onto that power to-date.

The other offices held by Tumwine are his service as the Army Commander, Director General of the External Security Organisation (ESO), Chairman of the General Court Martial, Member of Parliament, Security Minister and presidential advisor.

In Parliament,  Tumwine served longest, representing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for 35 years until May 2021 when he was dropped from Cabinet as Security Minister. He was a member of the National Resistance Council (NRC), the Constituent Assembly and all the parliaments from the sixth to the 10th.

He died at the age of 68.

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