Congolese Army general dies after security meeting in Uganda

Maj. Gen. Ambamba Bahuma, 8th Division military North Kivu commander (R) being received by UPDF 2nd Division commander, Brig. Peter Elwelu at Mpondwe border post in Kasese district last Wednesday. Photo by Enid Ninsiima

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The army commander on the Ugandan side revealed that their meeting was solely centered on security matters, given the number of challenges and threats being faced on either side and to see how best the two countries can handle them

Major General Ambamba Bahuma, the North Kivu Province regional military commander died on Saturday night shortly after meeting his Ugandan counterparts in Kasese.
Maj. Gen Bahuma was received in Uganda last week on Wednesday evening and proceeded to Spring Hotel in Kasese town but was later rushed to Bishop Masereka Medical centre in Kasese town before he was taken to Nakasero hospital and referred to South Africa where he died from according to the UPDF 2nd division spokesperson Maj. Ronald Kakurtungu.

However, Maj Kakurungu could not give details of the general's death but instead referred this paper to the Kinshasha Embassy in Kampala.

Maj Kakurungu said that Maj. Gen Bahuma was rushed to Nakasero hospital for treatment after he fell sick collapsed in a meeting with the Ugandan security officials in Kasese town.
"What I can say is that the general died shortly after arriving in Uganda before he was rushed to a South African hospital where he was flown from Nakasero but the Kinshasha embassy will be in right position to give details of his death," said Kakurungu.

Maj. Gen. Ambamba Bahuma, the 8th Division military North Kivu commander (2nd L) and the UPDF 2nd Division commander, Brig. Peter Elwelu address the in Kasese district last Wednesday. Photo by Enid Ninsiima

Maj Gen Bahuma crossed from DR Congo to Ugandan on foot and was welcomed by Brig. Peter Elwelu, the 2nd division commander at the Mpondwe border post and proceeded to inspect a guard of honor mounted by the UPDF before being escorted to Spring International Hotel where he addressed a joint press conference before they went for a closed meeting in Kasese town.
Before he collapsed in Kasese, the two commanders had told journalists that following the recent simultaneous attacks in Rwenzori sub region, army officials from both Uganda and DR Congo have vowed to bring peace in the region.

“As security agencies, we share the same problems, same stories and same people as in the Rwenzori and therefore we must meet and see how we bring peace back to the region, following what happened on July 5th ”, the second division commander Brig Peter Elwelu said.
The army commander on the Ugandan side revealed that their meeting was solely centered on security matters, given the number of challenges and threats being faced on either side and to see how best the two countries can handle them.