By Andrew Irumba
Saidi Butele, 57, was Arua Municipality MP, (Rtd) Col. Ibrahim Abiriga’s young brother with whom they were killed on Friday evening near the lawmaker’s home in Kawanda, Matuga Wakiso District.
One of Abiriga’s brothers, Mr Salim Saleh Drasi said Butele, who was acting as the MP’s bodyguard had just returned from a peace keeping mission in Somalia last month.
“Butele was encouraged to join the army by Abiriga in order to fight for peace in Uganda,” said Mr Drasi.
He said their death is a double tragedy and great loss to the family.
Butele was in the UPDF and was reportedly picked by Abiriga to be his bodyguard after he joined politics.
His body and that of Abiriga, 62, will be flown to Arua tomorrow Sunday afternoon.
The two will be buried on Monday at their home in Lukudo village, Iramva Parish in Rhino Camp Sub-county in Arua District. Butele had six children.
Meanwhile, Mr Drasi described Abiriga as ‘A man of community who loved people, honesty and always wanted things to be done in the right way’. “He was an adviser in our family and worked hard to see that his followers and children live in peace.” He said.
Abiriga went to Rhino Camp primary school and later left school and joined army during Idi Amin regime before going into exile in Zaire (now DRC),according to his Drasi.
“After the downfall of Amin’s regime in 1979, we went into exile in Congo and South Sudan. Then when we returned from exile, he found there were different groups in West Nile. He then joined UNRFI,” he added.
Abiriga gained fame as an RDC as he was always passionate about denouncing corruption in Arua municipality.
He was then later transferred to Yumbe District as RDC and resigned in 2015 to join politics in 2016.
The Chairman Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, Mr Hatib Juma, said: “Abiriga was a spiritual man and was always there to help the Muslim community members in all activities. It is a great loss to Ugandans”.
Read Full Program For The Burial Of Hon Ibrahim Abiriga
Saturday 9th June, 2018
– The body will leave the city mortuary at 1.00 pm, and will be handed to A Plus Funeral Services and Uganda Police
– The body will then be taken to the funeral home
Sunday 10th June 2018
– 7.00am The body will be taken to Kibuli Mosque for funeral prayers
– The body thereafter departs to Parliament for tribute and laying in state
– 2.00pm The body is taken to Kololo airfield and flown to Arua
– 4.00pm, The body arrives in Arua, taken to his home in Anyafio, Arua Municipality
– There will be a vigil at his Arua Municipality home, next to the Presidential State Lodge
Monday 11 June, 2018
The body will be laid to rest in Lukudu Village, Eramva Parish, Rhino Camp Sub County in Lower Madi Constituency, Arua District. #Abiriga #RIP #SpyUpdates.
