Government warns social media users over Aronda’s death

Social media users have been warned by the government against misusing the platform to spread malicious and damaging information.
The warning was sounded by minister of state for internal affairs, James Baba during the state funeral for Gen. Aronda Nyakairima at Kololo Independence grounds in Kampala on Friday.

“Following the death of Gen. Aronda, the social media went viral. Some people took negative advantage to spread lies and malicious information………..thereby misleading the public and hurting the family of the late. We (government) want to see that we come up with a legal framework to crack on these people. I hope to work with Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the attorney general, among other government agencies. People’s images must be protected because they worked hard to build them,” said Mr Baba while eulogizing the fallen general.
According to Mr Baba, Gen. Aronda worked tireless to see that the country becomes safe and secure.

“He would go wherever duty called him. He would go to each and every boarder point where disputes were reported and restore calm there. We in government should emulate his actions especially on the ID project. I have always wondered his patriotic, nationalistic principles,” he said.
A 17-gun salute will be accorded to the former army commander at the funeral.

President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga have graced the funeral service attended by friends, family, government officials, dignitaries and the general public.
Earlier, head of police health service and forensic pathologist, Dr Moses Byaruhanga who led a team of doctors which carried out Gen Aronda’s autopsy on Wednesday at Mulago National Referral Hospital told mourners at Kololo that the general succumbed to acute heart failure.
According to Dr Byaruhanga, noted red eyes of the fallen general which was due to reduced blood flow back into the heart.

He also said there was congested brain caused by failure of blood to flow from the brain back into the heart.
“The heart was also enlarged with presence of bleeding within the muscle of the left ventricle (one of the heart chambers) involving the whole thickness of the muscle,” he said.

According to the pathologist, there were many old small areas of damaged heart muscle (scars) due to interruption of the blood to the heart. The heart also had an abnormal fat layer surrounding the heart blood vessels. Some blood vessels had also been affected by the excessive fat.
They also found out that the lungs were markedly enlarged with small minute areas of bleeding on the outer surfaces. This according to the pathologists showed excessive accumulation of fluid and blood on cut surfaces.
He said the two findings were due to failure of blood from the lungs into the heart.