Rurangaranga was a 'dedicated party stalwart' - Akena

PIC: Rurangaranga (pictured right) mingling with Rukungiri district UPC mobiliser Joseph Tumusiime Kafuba at a party event at Rukungiri Stadium in 2010

DEATH

KAMPALA - Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party leader Jimmy Akena has described the late former party national chairman Rtd. Maj. Edward Rurangaranga as a "dedicated" and "committed" member of the long-standing party.

He said the fallen "party stalwart" showed commitment to UPC "throughout his life".

Rurangaranga collapsed and died Monday night at his home in Sheema district, according to his family.

Akena, the son of former Ugandan president Apolo Milton Obote, paid tribute to a man who worked under the government of his late father, underlining his active role in the 1978-79 liberation war.

"Unfortunately we have lost Major Rurangaranga. He died in his home in Kitagata [sub-county] in Greater Bushenyi. He was 87 years old. We are now liaising with the family and of course a burial programme will be announced at a later date," he said Tuesday morning.

"Rurangaranga has been a party stalwart, I would say, all his life. He was a member of parliament in the '60s. He participated actively in the war of liberation of '78-79. And he was minister of state for local government in the second UPC government.

"Later in 2011, under [UPC president] Olara Otunnu, he was national chairman and has been a dedicated and committed member of UPC throughout his life," added Akena.

Here, Rurangaranga takes oath at his swearing in as minister in 1980 as President Obote and others look on

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