A veteran of Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s National Resistance Army (NRA) says that former security minister Gen Elly Tumwine danced with death all his life.
Gen Tumwine, the man who fired the first shot in the NRA war, was pronounced dead at Aga Khan Hospital where he was hospitalized for days.
The general, who passed on at the age of 68, had been Museveni’s pupil at Burunga Primary School in 1967. The current head of state had been a student teacher there after his A-levels as he awaited his university admission.
According to Museveni, Gen Tumwine joined FRONASA with 9000 others in 1979, went to Monduli Military School in Tanzania and was the one who fired the first shot on the February 06, 1981, at Kabamba, at the beginning of the 1981-1986 war of Resistance.
“Since that time, Gen. Tumwiine has been part of the leadership of the NRA- UPDF as well as serving the government in various capacities. Those capacities included being Army- Commander, member of the High Command, Director-General of Intelligence, Minister of Security, etc,” said Museveni.
“He has been a dedicated and hard-working cadre. More will be said about him later. Condolences to his family, to the NRA-UPDF- NRM fraternity and to all Ugandans. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
Museveni and Tumwine were key elements of the NRA war.
Besides Museveni, another bush war fighter has described Tumwine as a man who always danced with death.
Gen David Tinyefuuza (later Sejusa) is a former spymaster. In his tribute to Tumwine, Gen Sejusa noted that as a soldier, Tumwine always danced with death.
“Gen Elly is gone home! You Danced With Death All Your Adult Life Because It’s The Way Of The Soldier! And you acted the way you did because ‘when one knows Death so well, one has more Responsibility for Life,” said Gen Sejusa.
“To Jolly and the Children, May the LORD Comfort You! To NRA/UPDF, a HERO has gone home!”
Tumwine live most of his adult life without sight in one eye following facial injuries during his bush war days.
Meanwhile, before he died, Gen Elly Tumwine had sent his final warning and message to Museveni. (Read Story Here).
President Museveni has since revealed what really killed Gen Elly Tumwine. (Read Story Here).
