There have been hundreds of mourners gathered to lay off the remains of Gen. Elly Tumwine in his ancestral home in Rwemikoma sub-county, Kazo district.
Gen. Elly Tumwine has been laid to rest in his ancestral home in Rwemikoma sub-county, Kazo district where hundreds of mourners have gathered to send in lay off his remains.
Tumwine was accorded a 21-gun salute in respect to his strong dedication in serving the country.
Addressing mourners, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who was also President Museveni’s representative at the send off said the country had lost a great man in Elly Tumwine.
“We have lost a great patriot, freedom fighter and a genuine friend, Gen Elly Tumwine. Gen Tumwine was a man who spoke what he believed to be true no matter what. Only recently, he came to see me in office to offer advice on a number of issues,” Nabbanja told mourners.
Tumwine was announced dead on Thursday last week at the Aga khan Hospital in Nairobi where he had been airlifted earlier on as he battled cancer -related complications.
In a statement eulogising him President Yoweri Museveni who joined a number of other Ugandans to mourn the General’s death said he succumbed to lung cancer which he had had for long.
“Countrymen and Countrywomen, especially the NRM- NRA- UPDF fraternity. With deep sorrow, I announce the death of General Elly Tumwiine which occurred at 5:46am this morning in Nairobi, from lung cancer,” Museveni tweeted.
Museveni who reminisced the moments they shared together with General Tumwine said he was his teacher during the 1960s.
“According to his widow, with whom I have just talked to on the telephone, Gen. Tumwiine was now 68 years old. I had taught him at Burunga Primary School in 1967, after our A-levels, as a student teacher, before going to university, later that year,” Museveni added.
Who was Gen Elly Tumwine?
Well known for being a Ugandan military officer, professional artist, and educator, Gen Elly Tumwine was the former Security Minister in the Cabinet of Uganda, from March 2018 until 2021.
He served as commander of the National Resistance Army from 1984 to 1987. He was one of the highest-ranking members of the Ugandan military who recently called on police to shoot at protesters.
He also ordered the military to kidnap, illegally incarcerate and sent opposition members to be tried in military courts based on trumped up charges which resulted in Bobi Wine supporters suing for Human Rights violations.
Elly Tumwine retired from active military service in July 2022. He is one of the 42 people armed with 27 guns who attacked Kabamba barracks to launch the NRA protracted war that five years later in 1986 would usher the current government to power.
Leaving his teaching job in 1978, Tumwine joined the FRONASA forces led by Museveni. In 1981, when then rebel leader Yoweri Museveni went to the bush to form the National Resistance Army (NRA) after disputing the outcome of the 1980 elections, Tumwine went with him.
