Leader of the Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga, defended the decision of the Opposition to call off their protest and return to Parliament to pay tribute to Kyemba.
Kyemba, born on December 8, 1939, in Mayuge district, succumbed to complications related to diabetes at URO Care Hospital in Kampala.
The Leader of the Opposition seconded the motion to pay tribute to late Kyemba. The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt Hon Rebecca Kadaga moved the motion to honour the late Kyemba.
Mpuuga described Hon Kyemba as both a statesman and a politician, describing him as someone who generously shared his knowledge and demonstrated simplicity that endeared him to many.
“We have the enormous task of portraying the essence of Kyemba, a statesman on one part and politician on the other, some people simply fall as politicians and the other part of them is a world chase. He generously offered time and space to whoever came to him with the thirst and good to learn. Yet in all this, he commanded a high and discerning sense of simplicity which endeared him to many,” he said during the special sitting
Hon Kadaga praised Kyemba as a firm advocate for democracy, good governance, peace, and public administration.
“He was a diligent leader who immeasurably participated in shaping the destiny of Uganda and served Uganda with dedication and patriotism,” said Kadaga.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa led the Parliament in paying tribute to the late Henry Kyemba. He described as a man who served his country diligently and was instrumental in documenting Uganda’s history. Tayebwa commended Kyemba for his dedication to recording the nation’s past so that future generations could understand its origins.
Thomas Tayebwa also acknowledged Kyemba’s humanitarian work, highlighting his involvement as a Rotarian and his continued commitment to volunteer work even until the time of his passing. Kyemba was recognized for his pivotal role in exposing the atrocities committed by Idi Amin’s regime and mobilizing people to end the brutality.
“This is a man who has served humanity in very many aspects as a rotarian even at the time of his death, he was still volunteering in aspects where he was touching lives allover. Of course we as students of history who know the black history of this country, we know the critical role he played in exposing the evils of the regime of Idi Amin where he moblized many people to end the brutality that was being meted on Ugandans,” he said
Brandon Kintu of Kagoma North invited Ugandans to join a royal dinner in honor of Kyemba, mentioning that the region mourned his passing and expressed regret that he wouldn’t be present at the November 2023 royal wedding.
Cecilia Ogwal (Dokolo DWR) shared a personal story about how Kyemba’s intervention saved her husband’s life when he was unjustly detained by the security forces during Idi Amin’s rule. Kyemba connected her directly to Idi Amin, which ultimately led to her husband’s release.
“Kyemba by taking up a job with Idi Amin, he virtually saved very many lives. My husband was picked up because he was head of the youth, he was accused of recruiting youths to over throw the Amin Gov’t. My husband was picked from home and we knew that was the end of him, God gave me courage, I picked the phone and called Kyemba,” Ogwal stated.
Abdu Katuntu (Bugweri County) urged fellow MPs to follow Kyemba’s example of serving under problematic regimes without being associated with their mistakes. He emphasized that Kyemba’s service under Idi Amin was remarkable, given the regime’s troubled history.
“The regime he served of Idi Amin was the most problematic regime ever in the history of this country. How do you serve a problematic regime and leave without a scandal, how, and it is a lesson to all of us who receive regimes don’t associate yourself with the mistakes of the regime. That is why Kyemba even when he was serving Amin’s regime, he was saving lives,” Katuntu stated
Naome Kabasharira (Rushenyi County) remembered Kyemba as a neat and smart gentleman, while James Magode, the State Minister for EAC Affairs, praised Kyemba for his book “The State of Blood,” which he said was instrumental in their fight against Idi Amin’s regime.
Professor Elijah Mushemeza (Sheema County) shared Kyemba’s wisdom on serving three presidents with different characters and visions, emphasizing the importance of trustworthiness and respect for authority.
Overall, the parliamentary session paid heartfelt tributes to Henry Kyemba, recognizing his contributions to Uganda and his legacy as a statesman, politician, and humanitarian.
Comments are closed.