Prime
Internal Affairs minister General Aronda Nyakairima dies
Gen. Nyakairima (C) with some Korean company officials in Seoul. Extreme right is the Executive Director, National Identification and Registration Authority, Ms Judith Obitre-Gama and extreme left is the authority's board chairman, Mr John Kasesene. Net photo
Gen Aronda Nyakairima, Uganda’s Internal Affairs Minister is dead. Ms Pamela Ankunda, the Internal Affairs Ministry spokesperson says Aronda died last night aboard a flight from South Korea to Uganda. Unconfirmed reports say, he died of cardiac arrest on transit to Dubai from South Korea.
“General Aronda died a board a flight from South Korea”, Ankunda said on phone.
According to ministry officials, Gen Nyakairima had travelled on official duty and was in a health condition.
General Aronda Nyakairima (born 7 July 1959) was a Ugandan army officer who served in the Cabinet of Uganda as Minister of Internal Affairs since 2013. Previously he was Chief of Defence Forces, the highest military rank in the
Uganda People's Defence Force, from 2003 to 2013. Prime Minister Rugunda issues statement.
Early life and education
Nyakairima was born in Rukungiri District. He attended Kitgum High School in Kitgum District. He joined
Makerere University in 1978, graduating in 1981, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He attended the Basic Officers Course in 1989, after the NRA had captured power in Kampala, Uganda's capital city. He later attended a course in Strategic Studies at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, USA. He also has further military qualifications from the Egyptian Military Academy in Cairo.
Military career
He joined the National Resistance Army in 1982, soon after leaving Makerere. After the NRA captured power, he worked as an intelligence officer in the Ugandan military. He later was appointed Assistant Director in the Directorate of Military Intelligence in the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF). He was then transferred to the Presidential Protection Unit as an Intelligence Officer. From there, he served as the Commanding Officer of the Armoured Brigade before his appointment as Commander of the UPDF in 2003. He has represented the UPDF in the Ugandan Parliament since 1996.
In October 2010, General Nyakairima was inducted into the International Hall of Fame at the Lewis and Clark Centre at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, United States of America, for attaining the highest position in the military of his country.
Nyakairima, a 1993 graduate of Fort Leavenworth, was inducted together with General Eui Don Wang of South Korea, a 1986 graduate of the command college, and Major General Richard Rhys Jones of New Zealand, a 1992 graduate. Nyakairmina was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Internal Affairs on 23 May 2013.
General Katumba Wamala was appointed to replace him as Chief of Defence Forces on the same day.
Personal details
General Aronda Nyakairima was married. He did not drink or smoke. He was fluent in multiple languages including Luganda , English , Luo , Runyakitara.
At the time of his death, Nyakairima was also one of the representatives of the Army in Parliament.
He is first person to carry title of CDF created under the UPDF Act which he held for 10 years.
His appointment to head the ministry of internal affairs created a heated debate over earlier interpretations that the law did not allow serving army officers to take such political appointments but this was successfully challenged paving way for him to occupy office.
He is been at the forefront of streamlining operations of civil society organisations in Uganda and he leaves at a time when parliament is grappling with the controversial NGO Bill
