Leaders from the Bugisu Sub Region and the Uganda People’s Congress-UPC, on Thursday, eulogized the late Prof Patrick Masette Kuuya.
Kuuya aged 76 who died in Kenya last week, was a former minister of rehabilitation in the Obote II administration. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Bugisu South West.
Kuuya spent 40 years in exile having left when the government was toppled back in 1985. While in Kenya he was Lecturer at Kenyatta University in the Applied Economics Department. The NRM administration attempted for years to convince him to return home.
Speaking at a funeral service at St Andrew's Church Bukoto, Rev. Canon Geoffrey Byarugaba expressed his sadness about Kuuya and other leaders, including Presidents, who die in exile. //Cue in; “I don’t know…
Speaker after speaker lauded him for his commitment to community development, sports, and education in Bugisu as well as the rest of the country.
According to Rev. Canon Byarugaba, Kuuya and other leaders made their contributions by selflessly serving the nation and, on occasion, by contributing their income and property to national development, a spirit that is lacking now.
The deceased was also credited for his love for sports right from his days at Nabumali High School.
Collins Wasswa Matovu, the patron of Nabumali Old Students Association, noted that when Kuuya went into positions of power he served sports, and football in particular. Matovu pointed out that the deceased spearheaded the construction of Mbale Municipal Stadium, and stands in Nakivubo stadium.
The service was attended by UPC members led by party President Jimmy Akena and Miria Kalule Obote, who donned red t-shirts with pictures of Kuuya.
Former ministers who served with Kuuya including; Moses Apiliga Tako, a former minister in charge of supplies and former staunch UPC-turned-NRM Anthony Butele, who was minister for labour in the Obote II regime spoke about the good memories they shared with the deceased who they noted was a simple man who wished for the unity of the country.
Akena commended Kuuya, whom he referred to as uncle, for his support of the UPC party and efforts to unite Uganda by establishing institutions like schools of national character.
Akena however noted that he was shocked to find that Nabumali, a school that formerly produced people like Kuuya, is now a shadow of its past.
Nathan Nandala Mafabi told the mourners that he had received a call from Kuuya just before he passed away, albeit, by the time he travelled to Kenya, the old man was too frail to communicate.
Mafabi lauded him for having pushed for the establishment of IUIU in their region, highlighting the deceased's significant contribution to their community. //Cue in; “When the university…
Mafabi, on the other hand, took advantage of the occasion to warn residents of his district to quit fighting. He was referring to the fact that when prof. Kuuya fled into exile, and people in Bugisu robbed his possessions and even destroyed his home.
