Gen Elly Tumwine , 68 dies in Kenya

NRA bush war General, Elly Tumwine has died. #WhisperEyeNews #UgandaNews

Uganda woke up in shock hearing the bad news of the passing away of a 4-star General who was among the bush heroes and a member of the high command of the National Resistance Army Hon. Gen Elly Tumwine – MP.

Tumwine was battling a series of illnesses for some time that saw him being airlifted from Nakasero hospital to Aga Khan Hospital where he breathed his last today.

Tumwine will always be remembered as one of the brave 27 young Ugandans who in February 1981 attacked Kabamba barracks that sparked off the liberation war lasting till 1986 in the victory of the NRA.

History shows that it is Gen Tumwine who fired the first bullet during the attack but unfortunately during the battle, he lost one of his eyes a reason why he was always putting on black tinted glasses until today.

Born on 12th April 1954, he served as the army commander from 1984 to 1987. He later served as Minister of State for Defense in 1989, Director of external security organization (ESO) from 1994 to 1996, then-presidential advisor from 1996 to 1998.

He also served as Chairman of the High Command Appeals Committee from 1986 until 1999. In September 2005, he was promoted to the rank of general in the UPDF and named to chair the UPDF General Court Marshal.

Tumwine also served as the security Minister a capacity he held simultaneously as an army representative in the parliament of Uganda.

On Monday 16 May 2022, Tumwiine was among 34 generals who were retired from the UPDF.

Upon being dropped as Minister, a disgruntled Tumwine penned a letter to his boss Gen Museveni where he asked him to also follow suit by allowing new breeds of leaders to come in after him.

May his soul rest in peace