Museveni pays his respects, burial slated for Tuesday
President Yoweri Museveni has on May 29 visited the home of the late Premier Apolo Nsibambi at Bulange Mengo.
Museveni said he first met Nsibambi while still in the bush and he (Nsibambi) was introduced as a great monarchist.
The President praised Nsibambi as a person who contributed immensely to the development of Uganda and bridged the gap between Buganda and the Central government.
“Nsibambi as a monarchist worked hard to bridge the gap between the bush war fighters who had just captured the power and leading the central government and the Mengo government”, Museveni said
He said the deceased led the committee to negotiate the return of Buganda property. “He put a brick on bridging the gap between us the fighters and Mengo,” the President added.
“He has been doing it for a long time since we came to government and he did a great job making us understand the monarchy,” Museveni added.
Prof Nsibambi, who was battling high blood pressure and cancer, passed away on Tuesday at his home in Bulange Kampala at the age of 78.
“God created death,” said Museveni, “What matters is what contribution did you make to society when you were alive,” he said.
He applauded Esther Nsibambi for taking good care of her husband since the death of his first wife almost 20 years ago.
“I talked to him three weeks ago. But that’s life. God has decided there is nothing we can do. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he concluded.
Burial Programme
Geoffrey Zziwa, the family spokesperson said Nsibambi’s body will this Friday be moved from a funeral home to Parliament where lawmakers will pay their last respects to the former academic and bureaucrat.
Nsibambi’s body will be taken to his residence for vigil and prayers on Monday, June 3.
On Tuesday, May 4, a church service will be held at Saint Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe starting at 9:00 am till 1:00 pm.
His remains will later be laid to rest at Buloba at 4:00 pm.
Profile
Nsibambi went to King’s College Buddo, Makerere University, the University of Chicago, the University of Nairobi and the University of London.
He also taught at Makerere University and in 1987, Nsibambi served as the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at the same university from 1978 until 1983 and from 1985 until 1987 he was appointed the head of the Department of Political Science at the university, a position he held until 1990.
He became the Director, Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) in 1994, serving in that capacity until 1996.
Between 1996 and 1998, he served as Minister of Public Service. In 1998 he was appointed Minister of Education and Sports, serving in that capacity until 1999 when he was appointed Prime Minister.
In May 2011, during a caucus meeting, he got to learn he had been replaced by Amama Mbabazi as Prime Minister. Consequently, he addressed the media and thanked President Museveni for the time he spent in the office.