Aronda warns media on rumours
May 15, 2007
THE Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has cautioned the media against reporting negatively about the dead.
By Harriette Onyalla and Francis Emorut
THE Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has cautioned the media against reporting negatively about the dead.
While speaking during the funeral service of Eriya Tumwine Junior, the son of former UPDF court martial chairman Gen. Elly Tumwine at All Saints Cathedral yesterday, Nyakairima said some sections of the media are extremist and do not have respect for the dead.
“My humble request is that the media should be (scaring the public) about poisoning,†he said in reference to media reports that the late Brig. Noble Mayombo was poisoned, yet the Government medical reports said he died of acute pancreatitis.
The media also reported that Eriya Tumwine, who was an information technology student at Makerere University, may have also been poisoned.
He died on Sunday morning after an epilepsy attack at the family’s home in Nakasero, Kampala.
The funeral service was a true celebration of Eriya’s 24 years of life. All Saints Cathedral was filled to capacity and hundreds of mourners waited in tents outside the church building.
Eriya’s siblings recited a moving poem about banters they had with their brother and how they would miss him.
Defence minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga explained that the provisional results showed that Eriya died of asphyxia (lack of oxygen).
He cautioned the media against speculation. “Those whose business is to file stories where there is none should stop.â€
Tumwine urged the media to be more responsible in reporting family tragedies. “I appeal to the media not to poison people’s minds by using the loss of loved ones. It is inhumane, unethical and could be criminal.â€
Tumwine said his son had grown into a man and a friend. “He was very friendly. He had become very responsible. Of recent he had become a very committed Christian and was very active in the Kampala Pentecostal Church home cells at the university. He had become very confident and a very interesting person.â€
He will be buried in Rwemikoma, Kiruhura district at 1:00pm today.
THE Chief of Defence Forces, Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, has cautioned the media against reporting negatively about the dead.
While speaking during the funeral service of Eriya Tumwine Junior, the son of former UPDF court martial chairman Gen. Elly Tumwine at All Saints Cathedral yesterday, Nyakairima said some sections of the media are extremist and do not have respect for the dead.
“My humble request is that the media should be (scaring the public) about poisoning,†he said in reference to media reports that the late Brig. Noble Mayombo was poisoned, yet the Government medical reports said he died of acute pancreatitis.
The media also reported that Eriya Tumwine, who was an information technology student at Makerere University, may have also been poisoned.
He died on Sunday morning after an epilepsy attack at the family’s home in Nakasero, Kampala.
The funeral service was a true celebration of Eriya’s 24 years of life. All Saints Cathedral was filled to capacity and hundreds of mourners waited in tents outside the church building.
Eriya’s siblings recited a moving poem about banters they had with their brother and how they would miss him.
Defence minister Dr. Crispus Kiyonga explained that the provisional results showed that Eriya died of asphyxia (lack of oxygen).
He cautioned the media against speculation. “Those whose business is to file stories where there is none should stop.â€
Tumwine urged the media to be more responsible in reporting family tragedies. “I appeal to the media not to poison people’s minds by using the loss of loved ones. It is inhumane, unethical and could be criminal.â€
Tumwine said his son had grown into a man and a friend. “He was very friendly. He had become very responsible. Of recent he had become a very committed Christian and was very active in the Kampala Pentecostal Church home cells at the university. He had become very confident and a very interesting person.â€
He will be buried in Rwemikoma, Kiruhura district at 1:00pm today.