Parliament holds minute of silence for Gen Tumwine

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa yesterday led the House into a minute of silence in memory of Gen Elly Tumwine, the longest serving army representative in Parliament. 

Gen Tumwine, 68, passed away yesterday morning after losing the battle to  lung cancer in Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi where he was flown a fortnight ago.

He served as army representative and later as ex-officio (Minister for Security) from 1996 to June 2021.Legislators eulogised the first commander of the National Resistance Army as a committed revolutionary, who served his country diligently, particularly on issues of security.

“It is with great sadness that I received the news of the passing of our elder, liberation hero, long serving legislator  and former Security minister, Gen Elly Tumwine,” Speaker Anita Among tweeted yesterday.
Presiding over plenary yesterday, Mr Tayebwa eulogised Gen Tumwine as a battle hardened soldier, who dedicated his life to the cause for peace that Ugandans are enjoying.

“We lost one of our gallant sons. A person who has left an indelible mark on the stability of this country, a person who has been a colleague. [We have lost] a historical who started together with our President and other colleagues a revolution that would end up liberating our country,” he said.

Mr Tayebwa said a substantive motion will be brought to the floor for appropriate tribute to the general.

“We are in touch with the government as a leadership of this House and at an appropriate time, we shall be guided.  I ask the Leader of Government Business to liaise with the Leader of the Opposition [in Parliament] so that a motion is prepared to pay tribute to our departed colleague,”  he said.

The Security minister, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, told Parliament that arrangements are underway to return the body, pending funeral arrangements from the government. “We shall be coming up with the programme to lay him to rest. We shall work as per your guidance with the Leader of Opposition in Parliament to pay tribute to Gen Tumwine,” he said.

But Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda asked the government to table policy guidelines on who should be taken to Parliament and accorded an official burial.

“There was a call from Parliament to standardise the sending off of colleagues and other senior public officers. There was supposed to be a policy on official funerals. This would be a time for us to be guided on who qualifies for what in death,” he said. In response, Mr Tayebwa directed the government to table the guidelines in three months.