Museveni praises late Kanyomozi for supporting cooperatives in Uganda

NTUNGAMO– President Museveni has described the late Yona Kanyomozi as a composed leader who worked to strengthen the cooperative movement in Uganda.

In his condolence message read by Minister for Internal Affairs Kahinda Otafiire at the burial of Kanyomozi in Rwashamaire town council, Ntungamo Municipality on Friday, Museveni said Kanyomozi was an accomplished political leader and a great cooperative minister during Obote II government.

“Late Kanyomozi’s contribution to leadership and service is much felt when he was the minister for cooperatives in Obote II government, national resistance council and a member for Kajara County Constituency in Ntungamo district, and member of East African Legislative [EALA] Museveni’s eulogy read in part.

Museveni said it was unfortunate that Kanyomozi died at a time when the country was on the path of economic transformation where cooperatives are expected to play a major role.

“It’s unfortunate that he [Kanyomozi] has died at the same time when we needed his knowledge, experience and expertise on the cooperative movement. I trust that those who have remained will further and maintain the projects he started for a good cause. As we grieve the loss of Mzee Yona Kanyomozi, let us also celebrate his life and our hearts go out to the family, the children, and people that he nurtured during his lifetime in various ways,” Museveni said.

Museveni added that Kanyomozi was a great mathematics teacher who taught him in junior secondary at Mbarara High School.

“I met Yona Kanyomozi for the first time at Mbarara High School. He was a mathematics student teacher of junior secondary and he played a great role as an educationist because he contributed a lot not only to my learning but also to many other students.”

“We hail him for a good service he rendered to this nation using his education background and mileage in economics and administration.”

“In him, the nation mourns a resourceful leader, councilor, hardworking citizen who is at such age when most people seem to have lost latency to strive and get themselves through the startup of new projects did not fail but continued until he died,” added Museveni.

Jimmy Akena, Uganda People’s Congress [UPC] President, said the party and the country have lost a committed cooperator who restored coffee and cotton markets during his time as a minister.

Akena added: “I do not believe that there is any way we can get development to the poorest of the poor without the cooperatives and it was through those efforts but not all the cooperatives were weak. For example, Banyankole Kweterana Cooperative Union was a powerful, well-organised cooperative with all sorts of ranches and also involved in value addition.”

“I am glad I am alive when people talk of value addition, reorganising the cooperatives but it is unfortunate that Yona has passed at this time when the reality is booming for all of us in Uganda,” said Akena

The UPC president advocated for a commercial bank that specifically addresses the financial challenges affecting farmers and cooperators.

“Today in Uganda we don’t have a bank comparable to work for us as Uganda commercial bank with branches across all over and involved in all productive areas that is something that UPC mourns. Even if you want to transform people’s lives in the liberation agenda, you need the right tool to do so and in this circumstance, you need a cooperative bank,” Akena said.

Chris Rwakasisi, a friend and workmate who served with Yona Kanyomozi during the UPC government described him as a friend to many people.

“I knew Kanyomozi for the last 60 years actually I was the best man for Kanyomozi when we were in exile in Nairobi.  He was an economist, for example instead of cutting bread at his wedding he decided to cut the mingled millet. So someone was asking me whether that was economics or it was cultural because Kanyomozi was economics glue,” Rwakasisi said.

He said when Kanyomozi became a minister, no cooperative missed receiving a Tata lorry. “Kanyomozi alongside former minister Richard Kaijuka were ever on the presidential economic commission that used to advise former president Milton Obote on matters of national development.”

“He was persistent, consistent, and resilient. Kanyomozi joined the UPC party and loved it. Even when it had challenges, he remained loyal to his party,” said Rwakasisi.

“People of Kajara you have lost a hero and a friendly man and nothing we can do but let’s keep remembering the family of Yona Kanyomozi,” he added.

Counsel Naboth Muhairwe, a nephew to Kanyomozi described his late uncle as a man who loved accountability in life.

“Whenever he would give you a shilling to buy something you would account for the balance. He lived such high standard of which I cannot even mention here,” Muhairwe said.

“While he was still in active politics, some people would ask him to buy them some drinks but instead Kanyomozi would show them the gravity water he constructed in the area. So if you wanted him to support you, bring an idea of a project such as a school, hospital or church there he was in full support.”

Michael Tumuzugu, area MP Kajara County said Kanyomozi fostered development in Kajara in terms of education, health and bringing in coffee factories for the five years he served in parliament.

“This teaches us that when we join public offices let’s work for the people who trust us with leadership so that we can leave a legacy like what Yona Kanyomozi has left which will never end,” said Tumuzugu.

On his part, Dr. Kizza Besigye called for God’s intervention to save Ugandans from the increasing fuel and commodity prices, saying some of the school-going children could fail to report back to school because of an increase in school fees.

Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuga also described the late Kanyomozi as an irreplaceable Ugandan who served his country wholeheartedly, and a friend who had time for everyone irrespective of the different political parties.

President of Alliance for National Transformation [ANT], Mugisha Muntu described Kanyomozi as a principled man with great values.

Minister Otafiire appealed to opposition leaders to opt for discussions rather than indulging in political fights, which destabilise the country’s development.

“What kills a country is not listening, and what I liked about Yona was listening. He would listen to you and either agree or disagree in principle for whatever you tell him,” Otafiire said.

“Now that we have started the motion of listening to each other, our country will not die because we’ve tried fighting with each other. Now let’s give each other a chance to listen to each other. FDC, NUP, ANT speak we shall listen and when we also speak please listen that’s the only way we will make this country move forward,” he added.

Kanyomozi’s children speak

Yona Kanyomozi’s eldest son, Sabiti Kamugisha told mourners that his dad died of diabetes at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.

“Before he died he was in court battling with land grabbers in one of his plots, a thing that stressed him because of several court adjournments but despite such challenges he was a happy man and lived a happy life,” Kamugisha said.

“On Sunday morning he was coughing I went up to see him and I realized the sugar levels had shot up, we put him in a car and we went straight to Nakasero hospital, the situation was bad and his life kept deteriorating, sadly his heart stopped and doctors tried to revive him. It was traumatic.”

The children described their late father as a loyal man who loved his family and Lingala music

“We will miss Mzee’s love and Lingala dance strokes which he learnt from Zaire in 1974. He stayed in Zaire for over a month and fell in love with Zairean music. He spent hours listening to Lingala, singing, and playing instruments.  He was not just a politician but he also enjoyed music,” daughter Kentaro Kanyomozi said.

They also thanked the dad for associating with great people, an association they said has transformed their lives.

https://thecooperator.news/kanyomozi-the-man-who-loves-cooperatives-laid-to-rest/

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