“He was a dedicated and hard working cadre” Museveni Pays Tribute to Gen. Tumwine

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, also the Commander- in -Chief of the Armed forces, has described the late Gen Elly Tumwine as a dedicated and hardworking cardre.

President Museveni released a brief statement on his social media handles on Twitter and Facebook also revealed that  Gen. Tumwiine succumbed to lung cancer at around 5:46 am Thursday morning in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Museveni explains that he talked to the deceased’s wife on the phone moments before making the statement, but didn’t divulge details on the arrival of the body or arrangements. 

The President has also described Gen. Tumwinne as an active student of his, at Burunga Primary School in 1967, where he served as a student teacher. 

“ Gen. Tumwiine was now 68 years old. I had taught him at Burunga Primary School in 1967, after our A-levels, as a student teacher, before going to University, later that year. “ he said

President Museveni also hailed Tumwine as a loyal cadre who has served in the Army since the times of the National Resistance Army (NRA) to the now National Resistance Movement (NRM). Museveni recalls how Tumwine fired the first shot that led to the NRA war in Kabamba.

 “He 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 6th February, 1981, at Kabamba, at the beginning of the 1981-1986 war of Resistance.  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 Intelligence,  Minister of Security, etc. 

The former security Minister and four star retired General died at the Aghakhan hospital in Kenya’s Capital , Nairobi.

Gen. Tumwine reportedly collapsed at a wedding and was admitted to Nakasero Hospital in Kampala, in July 2022. When his condition deteriorated, he was flown to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi.

The former security Minister retired from active military service in July 2022.On Monday 16 May 2022, Tumwiine was among 34 generals who were retired from the UPDF.

His reign in the Army is described as historical because he  fired the first shot in the National Resistance Army War, which propelled the National Resistance Army and National Resistance Movement into power in Uganda in 1986.

The former security Minister retired from active military service in July 2022.On Monday 16 May 2022, Tumwiine was among 34 generals who were retired from the UPDF