The country is mourning the demise of yet another freedom fighter who participated in the liberation war that saw the National Resistance Army take over government. So many people are talking so many things about General Elly Tumwine with some people whose manners have been eroded celebrating his death. However, as for me I will put focus on General Tumwine’s passion and love for the young people. He loved being in company of the young people and whenever he would meet them, General Tumwine never forgot to inform the young generation but the main reason as to why him and his group chose to go the bush to liberate Uganda. He never forgot to tell the young people about how they should love their country and should always take time to know what Uganda is because this will make them love their country more. He was accessible to the young people who sought him for advice and some other kinds of assistance and on top of that General Tumwine never feared to approach even those youth who didn’t support the current President and government in power.
I think it was because of that passion for the young people that General Tumwine enjoyed and participated in music. Given the fact that the young people enjoy Music, General Tumwine composed several songs some of which were recorded. During different retreats for youth at Kyankwazi, General Tumwine never missed a chance of finding time to lecture the young people and also sing along with them the liberation songs that kept their morale during bush war. Obviously winning the attention of the young people usually takes alot. One must act like them or involve himself in the things they love most for you to appeal to them and win their attention. These days what appeals to the young people is mostly music and this is where mostly the message which contains pieces of advise is usually put so that they sing it and end up being changed especially to behaviors which is inappropriate and other things that bring danger to their lives.
General Tumwine was against the behaviors that illude and demean the African culture and I’m told he’s the one who advocated for the African wear as part of the formal wearing in parliament. This was at a time when fellow legislators were advocating for suits. I think General Tumwine has died without wearing a single suit of a coat and necktie because I had never seen him in one. He always appeared in African wear a sign that he embraced the African culture. I have also seen video of him trying to teach the young people about how they behaved in the past and about how their culture is so rich that it has existed for so many years more than what they copy from outside. General Tumwine was a pan Africanist who hated European dominance and imperialism. The message of being an African and loving Africa as a continent surely sank in him and he loved to see other Africans being the same. It should be noted that some of the challenges we are facing in Africa are either caused imperialism or the Africans who want to copy foreign cultures as a way of showing that they’re civilized. They do not know that someone can be civilized in their own culture.
It’s not a guarantee that every General in the army or every high profile person in the government has passion for the youth. some see the young people as people who deserve no attention others demean them and several others distance themselves from the young people. However there those whose love for the youth is natural. General Tumwine was one of those. Another person that really identifies himself with the young people is President Museveni. He introduced the terminology Bazukulu which has now become popular and a House hold word or name in almost every community in Uganda. President Museveni’s passion for the young people has seen him entrust several young people with sensitive positions in the government. Those who have not disappointed his trust in executing their duties have actually gotten a chance to be promoted to even higher positions in the government. This means that he is convinced that the young people can perform well given a chance to serve their country. This is added on a number of other things that he has done for the young people which include among many giving pieces of advise that anybody would need to be a responsible person in society.
The young people of Uganda, will miss a general who was playful and always jolly. The Young people especially those who subscribe to the national resistance movement will miss a general who was approachable and who never found any problem to associate with them, a general who liked and enjoyed music like the young people and also took time to sing and show his talent to the public. The young people will miss a general whose passion for the African culture norms and values was unmatched and this inspired many of us the youth to love our culture and enjoy it more. The young people will miss a general who never minced words especially on issues of patriotism and stability of the country. Actually, General Tumwine would get emotional if anybody did anything that tampers with the stability of Uganda. I think that’s when he made the different statements that most people are now using to criticize him and also celebrate his death but I think he was right to get emotional once in a while about Uganda’s stability because nobody would love to see people playing with something that you sacrificed your whole life for. Fare-thee-well General Tumwine.
The writer is a deputy RDC Kyenjojo District.
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