The Prime Minister of Uganda, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has described the slain Arua Municipality Member of Parliament, Col (Rtd) Ibrahim Abiriga as a patriotic leader whose honesty and hard work is irreplaceable.
Rugunda was speaking Sunday morning during a special sitting by Parliament to pay tribute to the former legislator.
The Prime Minister moved a motion for the House to pay tribute to the fallen legislator who was gunned down along side his body guard (brother) Saidi Kongo, by unknown assailants allegedly travelling on a motorcycle meters away from his home in Kirinnyabigo – Kawanda in Wakiso district on Friday.
“Hon Abiriga has been a patriotic leader. His killing was an act of cowardice by evil people, but, like the President said, the killers will be hunted and brought to face the law,” Dr Rugunda told MPs on Sunday.
Prime Minister Rugunda described Abiriga as a very approachable, simple person who didn’t deserve brutal death.
“He was in my office this week presenting his people’s grievances and had promised to meet again next week. Unfortunately, the second meeting won’t take place,” he added.
He asked Ugandans to be vigilant to ensure that killings of this nature are fought. Agents of these evil acts want to instill fear but that this wouldn’t be possible, he added.
He lauded MPs for their “true spirit of solidarity” exhibited in the numbers of legislators that left their recess on a Sunday to attend the special sitting.
“Abiriga was a man of peace who easily got along with many people. He believed in coexistence irrespective of the diversity of views of others. He was a tolerant man”.
He said Abiriga was courageous, principled and straightforward and proud of what he believed in, which he asked other MPs to emulate his character.
“Abiriga openly prophesed and talked about his love for the NRM. His trademark yellow attire was one of the examples through which he demonstrated his love for NRM. We will surely miss his unmissible presence in this August House,” Rugunda told the House.
Late Abiriga who was born in 1956 previously served as Resident District Commissioner for Arua and Yumbe districts in West Nile and until his death, he was the Member of parliament of Arua Municipality.
Late Ibrahim Abiriga, will be remembered for his unmeasurable support in lifting the Presidential age limits last year when he chose to paint his car yellow and dress in yellow suits as a sign of displaying love to the ruling National Resistance Movement and President Yoweri Museveni.
His body will later in the afternoon be taken to Kololo air field and flown to his Arua Municipality home in West Nile.
Thereafter, the body will be taken to Rhino primary school on Monday morning for the people in his constituency to pay tribute to him, before laying him to rest in Lukudu village, Rhino Camp sub county in lower Madi constituency on Monday afternoon.