Slain Assistant Inspector General of Police, Andrew Felix Kaweesi has been laid to rest this evening at his ancestral home in Lwengo district.
Among the thousands of mourners who turned up for the burial was former Chief of Defence Forces and Inspector General of Police, Gen Katumba Wamala.
Addressing mourners, Gen. Katumba Wamala, under whose reign Kaweesi was recruited, described Kaweesi as a hardworking person.
“Kaweesi was recommended to join the police force by Ssempijja. He was a boy who was self-driven and hardworking. He has been a humble man and true to his word. He was the kind that would be given duty and require no supervision,” Gen. katumba Wamala said. He added that it is these qualities that saw the deceased rise through the ranks to that of AIGP.
“Kaweesi was one of the police officials that underwent military training. That was why he was professional with duty. He had no God-father in police. I didn’t know him. It was his work that saw him rise through the ranks to where he was contrary to the thinking of the majority that to raise to the top you must be having someone to give you a push. I appointed Kaweesi to oversee Ntugamo but when I wanted him back for training. The O.C didn’t want him to leave,” Gen. Katumba Wamala said, and urged the men in uniform to emulate AIGP Kaweesi.
“The public reaction to Kaweesi’s murder should be a reminder to uniformed men that we belong to people. The death of Kaweesi has had thousands of people react heartrendingly. It teaches us that people are following affairs,” he said.
Speaking about the deceased officer, the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura told mourners that Kaweesi’s murder had left a huge gap in the police force.
“He has been my mouthpiece. He was my assistant. He was very reliable. I had even stopped appearing in media. I deployed Kaweesi in Kampala region during the walk to work demonstrations and he handled them without much chaos.”
Though, he maintained that Kaweesi’s murder doesn’t mean everything was out of hand, adding that ‘Kaweesi is not dead but just fallen’. “Yes we are going to strengthen our security, but I cannot agree with those who say situation is out of hand. I am here to celebrate Kaweesi’s life and not to mourn. He has gone to join a small group of our real fighters,” Gen. Kayihura said.
He hinted at establishing a ‘Hall of Fame’ at the police headquarters to archive the profile of people like AIGP Kaweesi.
On his part, the Lwengo district LC5 Chairman, George Mutabazi said that AIGP Kaweesi has been very instrumental in educating children of Kyazanga.
“He made sure all S.4’s sit for exams. We are going to name a road after him. We’ll also name a school after him. I am going to do this without consulting anyone,” said Mutabazi amidst ululations.
The minister of Internal Affairs Gen Jeje Odongo assured the window, who is scheduled to have an operation tomorrow that the government was going to support the family.“As police, we pledge to offer support to you. Your children have to achieve their dreams,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also cautioned policemen to front professionalism while on duty.
“The hundreds of people that have gathered to bid farewell to Kaweesi shows what kind of man he has been. It is important how we live as it is important how we die. We should be mindful how we will be buried,” Gen. Odongo said.
AIGP Kaweesi was killed in a hail of bullets near his home in Kulambiro last Friday morning. He has this evening been laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kitwekyanjovu in Lwengo district.
Born in 1974, AIGP Kaweesi joined the police in 2001. He is survived by a widow Annette and young children.
