Ruranganga to be accorded state burial

Uganda People Congress (UPC) party president Jimmy Akena has said that the late Edward Rurangaranga will be accorded a state burial.

Akena said they are working out a programme with government for the burial arrangements. He said they will have a condolence book at the party headquarters when the arrangements are complete.

Rurangaranga died at his home in Kitagata Sub County in Greater Bushenyi on Tuesday aged 87. Akena said that they are working with the family of the deceased to have one burial programme.

UPC president Jimmy Akena speaking to New Vision on Tuesday. Photo by Wilfred Sanya

"Rurangaranga has been a member of the party for all his life. He was a Member of Parliament in the 60s. He participated actively in the war of liberation of 1978-79 which toppled President Idi Amin. He was appointed a Minister of State for Local Government in the second UPC government up to 1985" Akena said.

He also said you cannot separate UPC and the government today adding that Rurangaranga lived a simple life after he was released from prison and that he never heard anybody portraying in a bad way. 

Akena said that as a cabinet minister, he fought for equal distribution of national development in the entire country.