Tooro: Hundreds of mourners have today (Sunday) August 9, 2020 gathered in Fort Portal to pay their last respect to Catherine Mukarwamo Tibemenya, 92 year old, mother to former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen.Edward Kale Kayihura.
In his speech, Gen. Kayihura praised her mother that she was a principled lady who ensured that all her children attained education and served their country with utmost diligence.
Kayihura added that her mother was well recognized for sticking to the truth, fighting for the rule of law and helping the current government to make inroads in Greater Masaka region at the time when there was a lot of intimidation.
“Today we are sending off a person who loved her country and was one of the liberators. I therefore ask christians to emulate the good deeds of Mukarwamo and love each other” Kayihura said.
In his conclusion, Kaihura urged people to respect mothers since they are source of life. He also asked journalists to give him peace and stop blackmailing and defaming him over false allegations. “Why don’t you journalists leave me alone? I am living a private quite life, looking after my goats in Kashagama village, why do you follow me in my private life?” Kaihura wondered.
Ms, Mukarwamo who died on Thursday at Virika Hospital in Fort Portal after battling pneumonia for several days was also described as as tolerant, incorruptible, exemplary, principled, a human right activist, a devoted Christian who was loyal to Tooro Kingdom.
The Omukama of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi 1V, represented by the former kingdom prime minister, Stephen Kaliba, thanked God for the life of Mukarwamo and for her contribution to the kingdom during her earlier years.
“As a kingdom, we are proud of her life. She loved the people of Tooro and we shall miss her. Above all she has been an elder who has been giving us advice,” Oyo said in his eulogy.
Late Mukarwamo Catherine Tibemenya is the wife of the fallen Pan-Africanist John Kalekezi, father of Gen,kaihura.
WHO IS JOHN KALEKEZI
Kalekezi was born 1932 to a parish chief and was a grandson to a renowned elder in Bufumbira Yokobo Rwanyonga. He studied at Mutorere Primary School in Kisoro district and joined Kitabi Seminary in Bushenyi. He then went to St. Mary’s College Kisubi in 1951 for secondary education.
Kale is talked about as having been a very articulate and resilient youth. In 1955 Kale attended an international union of students’ leadership course held in Vienna. He, however, extended his stay abroad addressing international community on the need for self-government to the chagrin of the protectorate government. He took up an active role at UNC’s offices in Katwe where he worked with other volunteers like Paulo Muwanga and Samson Sekabanja.
Kale then joined Katwe People’s Council militants that had elements like Kizito-Bulwada. These UNC volunteers joined other Ugandans to oppose the visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. Kale who had attended Cadet Corps Center training at St. Mary’s College Kisubi and together with his group managed to steal thirty assault rifles and six hundred round of ammunition from Kisubi armory which they wanted to use to deal with the colonial government. The guns were however recovered from them before the queen’s visit.
Kale would later be appointed UNC Secretary for Foreign Affairs and was posted in Cairo Egypt. He trekked from Uganda to Khartoum in Sudan where and got a flight to Cairo in 1957 represent UNC at the first Afro-Asia Solidarity Conference. His anti colonial movements brought him close to other Pan Africanists like former Egyptian President Abdul Nasser Jamal.
Having negotiated the support to the cause of Uganda’s independence from political committee of the Arab league, John Kale initiated in June and July 1958 from his exile base in Cairo the militant revolution to finally oust British rule from Uganda (with one year by 1959).
The African hero perished in a plane crash on August 17, 1960 at Kiev, Ukraine, on a trip to Moscow (then Soviet Union.) Kale was at that time based in Cairo, Egypt where he served as Foreign Secretary to Uganda National Congress (UNC) as he fought for Uganda’s independence.
At the time of his death he was a strong defendant of the freedom of the African people and had traversed the world in efforts to realize this cause. He was planning to lead Uganda National Congress into the 1961 elections.
