Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of condolence to his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni, upon the death of Internal Affairs Minister General Aronda Nyakairima.
“To my brother @KagutaMuseveni may God comfort you as Uganda mourns the death of wazir General Aronda Nyakairima” Kenyatta wrote in a tweet earlier today.
Gen Nyakairima 56, died of heart attack in Dubai while returning from official duty in South Korea.
Gen Nyakairima joined Museveni’s National Resistance Army in 1982, after completing his studies at Makerere University. He has served the army in various capacities, rising up to becoming the Chief of Defence Forces, the highest ranking officer of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF).
In a related development Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda has also mourned the later Gen Nyakairima, saying: “General Aronda Nyakairima, who also served the country as Chief of Defence Forces was a dedicated servant of the people of Uganda and his death is a huge and tragic loss to the country,” Dr Rugunda said in a statement.
In the statement Dr Rugunda added: “we extend our deep condolences to the family and friends of General Aronda during this most trying period and pray that the Almighty comforts them.”
The premier also said the government had set up a task force led by Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga to coordinate all matters related to the death of Gen Aronda Nyakairima, before revealing that a team of pathologists would be sent to Dubai to assist with the post mortem.
