Fare thee well Gen. Nyangweso
Feb 23, 2011
BRIGADIER Bernard Rwehururu stood up and saluted the fallen Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso as his body lay in a coffin draped in the national flag. Tears were rolling down the Brigadier’s cheeks.
By Norman Katende
BRIGADIER Bernard Rwehururu stood up and saluted the fallen Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso as his body lay in a coffin draped in the national flag. Tears were rolling down the Brigadier’s cheeks.
And it was not Rwehururu alone. The numerous people that had turned up to pay their last respects to the former sportsman, soldier, administrator, minister, ambassador, name it, also had tears welling in their eyes.
With a clutch to support his walk, Rwehururu looked at Nyangweso’s stiff face and shook his head: “He is gone!†he muttered.
The Brigadier recalled that it was Nyangweso who inspired him with his bravery and courage when he resurfaced after he was pronounced ‘Missing In Action’ during the war with then Congo Zaire in 1965. Rwehururu was a cadet officer at the Jinja Staff College.
“During my wedding (1969), he had become the general manager of the officers’ mess and made sure that gave me the facility for free, saw that I use the commandant vehicle and also gave me drinks worth sh1,500 on credit. When I went to pay, he asked what I will feed the ‘mugole’. He advised me to write post-dated cheques of to sh750 each, but up to today, those cheques have never been cashed,†Rwehururu said of the former UOC president, who died last week.
All mourners who spoke had something good to say about Nyangweso.
John Ntimba, a schoolmate at Nyamitanga PS in 1947, said that despite being the only with a bicycle, the late General was always social.
“He was a true patriot. In 1974 when asked by Amin how we could develop sports in Uganda, he suggested inviting stars. That is how Pele (Brazilian soccer legend) and Muhammad Ali came to Uganda,†said Ben Omoding, a former Cranes coach.
Sevi Obura summed it up all. “When Amin gave the team to the 1976 Olympic Games $100,000, he ruled that all the money be shared amongst the athletes since they were the main reason why they were travelling.â€
There will be a requiem mass at Our Lady of Africa in Mbuya today.
BRIGADIER Bernard Rwehururu stood up and saluted the fallen Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso as his body lay in a coffin draped in the national flag. Tears were rolling down the Brigadier’s cheeks.
And it was not Rwehururu alone. The numerous people that had turned up to pay their last respects to the former sportsman, soldier, administrator, minister, ambassador, name it, also had tears welling in their eyes.
With a clutch to support his walk, Rwehururu looked at Nyangweso’s stiff face and shook his head: “He is gone!†he muttered.
The Brigadier recalled that it was Nyangweso who inspired him with his bravery and courage when he resurfaced after he was pronounced ‘Missing In Action’ during the war with then Congo Zaire in 1965. Rwehururu was a cadet officer at the Jinja Staff College.
“During my wedding (1969), he had become the general manager of the officers’ mess and made sure that gave me the facility for free, saw that I use the commandant vehicle and also gave me drinks worth sh1,500 on credit. When I went to pay, he asked what I will feed the ‘mugole’. He advised me to write post-dated cheques of to sh750 each, but up to today, those cheques have never been cashed,†Rwehururu said of the former UOC president, who died last week.
All mourners who spoke had something good to say about Nyangweso.
John Ntimba, a schoolmate at Nyamitanga PS in 1947, said that despite being the only with a bicycle, the late General was always social.
“He was a true patriot. In 1974 when asked by Amin how we could develop sports in Uganda, he suggested inviting stars. That is how Pele (Brazilian soccer legend) and Muhammad Ali came to Uganda,†said Ben Omoding, a former Cranes coach.
Sevi Obura summed it up all. “When Amin gave the team to the 1976 Olympic Games $100,000, he ruled that all the money be shared amongst the athletes since they were the main reason why they were travelling.â€
There will be a requiem mass at Our Lady of Africa in Mbuya today.