Bush warfighter Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi who is the current security minister and Member of Parliament for Rujumbura has paid tribute to Ms. Hope Kivengere for saving his life at the hands of Obote’s soldiers who almost killed him.
“I mourn the loss of my sister, but also the loss of my compatriot and hero, Hope Kivengere. Hope was a principled woman, who fought for truth, justice, and freedom. I owe my life to her courage and loyalty. During the war, she sheltered me at great personal risk to herself,” Gen Muhwezi said in a tweet.
He added: “She was willing to risk death and worse to fight for what she believes in, and dedicated her life to her country and its people. She leaves the world a better place than she found it. Hope, your legacy lives on,” the bush war General noted.
According to family members, the former Press Secretary to President Museveni fell sick only within a week, and doctors found out there was internal bleeding. It is said that she was too weak to undergo surgery and eventually breathed her last on Tuesday.
Her sister described her childhood as an “impossible, problem child” who the family wondered, how she’d turn out.
To their shock and amusement, she became the best version of the human being she was. They were truly proud of her. We all are, indeed.
Below is a tribute shared on WhatsApp by a close family member
A celebration of Hope Kivengere at All Saints Church today
Thursday, 21 October.
At Hope Kivengere’s funeral, everything we’ve known about her was emphasized. Patriot. Pan Africanist. Humble. Focused. Amiable. Loyal. Christian. Meticulous. Etc.
A very beautiful record of a great soul.
Hope fell sick only within a week, and doctors found out there was internal bleeding. She was too weak to undergo surgery and eventually breathed her last on Tuesday.
Her sister described her childhood as an “impossible, problem child” who the family wondered, how she’d turn out.
To their shock and amusement, she became the best version of the human being she was. They were truly proud of her. We all are, indeed.
When her parents went to the US for her father’s scholarship, Hope at that time in Gayaza, preferred to stay in Uganda for her education.
Later though, she went abroad and upon return, her sisters laughed at her foreign accent. Hope decided to start re-learning how to speak English in the Ugandan way.
With all the success story her life has been, Hope remained humble-no airs around her.
**
President Museveni gave a beautiful tribute to Hope. She was a professional, not moved by earthly things.
Once, on his way to Gulu, Hope’s car was spotted by the roadside. The poor woman was changing her own tire. The President asked her why she was changing the tire with no one to help her. Hope apparently remarked that she knew everything about cars that she needed to know, could change her tire, and didn’t need a driver because she believed she was her own best driver. She had no driver, nobody guard, and had driven more than half the journey from Kampala to Gulu.
Hope spoke English, French, Swahili, Spanish fluently. It was always a proud moment to hear her switch from one language to another with so much ease. In fact, I can testify that she was learning Arabic too.
Hope’s favorite song was “Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine”, which according to her sister, she preferred to sing in Swahili.
We don’t mourn Hope Kivengere. We celebrate her and hope we can join her in Heaven, because no doubt, that’s where she is.
A beautiful patriot has gone home. She earned her promotion to glory. May His name be praised!
Pam