Former minister, electoral commissioner Thomas Kiryapawo is dead

Former minister and electoral commissioner, Dr Thomas Sisye Kiryapawo is dead.

Dr Kiryapawo is said to have succumbed to intestinal cancer at TMR International Hospital, Kampala yesterday at the age of 78.

Mr Micheal Kirya, a close relative told Daily Monitor that Kiryapawo had been ill for a while.

He was born in 1943 in the eastern district of Budaka.

His body, currently in a mortuary, will be taken to his Kampala home on April 21, 2021 for a vigil. Thereafter, it will be taken to church on April 22 for prayers starting 10am before proceeding to Iki-Iki in Budaka for burial on April 24, 2021.

Mr Emmanuel Kereba, the clan head of Baloki to which Dr Kiryapawo belonged said: “It’s shocking that we have lost one of the gallant leaders who could stand to fight for his people. He has been the pillar and unifier of the Bagwere [tribe].”

The Iki –Iki County MP, Mr Robert Kasolo, described Kiryapawo as a disciplined parent.

“His demise will be a big setback for the Bagwere and ideally, we shall miss his courage and charisma. He loved his people,” he said.

Kiryapawo started his career as a veterinary oficer in Iganga-Njeru and rose to the position of commissioner Artificial insemination in Entebbe before he retired to join politics in 1995 and won Budaka County MP seat (in  a by-election) following the death of Sam Gole, the then area MP.

Kiryapawo retained the seat in 1996 general election and was appointed to cabinet as minister of state for finance in charge of Entandikwa. He was later appointed minister of state for mineral development and cultural affairs.

He worked as commissioner for Animal production, assistant commissioner of veterinary services and animal industry, director of national artificial breeding services and senior veterinary officer in-charge of artificial breeding center-Entebbe, among others.  

He retired from active politics in 2001 and was appointed member of the Health Commission in 2002 and later as Uganda’s High Commissioner to UK. He was later recalled and deployed to Uganda Electoral Commission in 2006 as a commissioner for about seven years.

He served as chairman Board of Directors of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank, a body responsible for the national livestock breeding policy.

He also worked as Uganda’s Ambassador Extra-ordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Ireland.

He was married to a veteran politician, Ms Loi Kiryapawo. He is survived by five children, four of whom work outside Uganda.