Tumwine is known for having fired the first bullet that opened up the war between the National Resistance Army (NRA) led by H.E Yoweri K.Museveni and the former regime of Idi Amin Dada who was the president of Uganda at the moment. And it is during this war that Tumwine lost one of his eyes. And till his death, many people have believed in him as a hero who fired the first shot to liberation of Uganda.
General Elly Tumwine was a Ugandan military officer, professional artist, and academic. He was one of the highest-ranking members of the Ugandan military. He served as the former Minister of Security in the Ugandan Cabinet from 2018 to 2021. He then retired from active military service in July 2022.
“He has been a dedicated and hard-working cadre,” Mr. Museveni said of the army officer who played a major role in a guerilla struggle that started his presidency in 1986.
H.E. Museveni confirmed that Gen Tumwine, 68, succumbed to lung cancer at 5:46 am from a hospital in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi (Agha Khan Hospital)
Family members said Tumwine was admitted to the medical facility in critical condition two weeks ago.
“His situation kept deteriorating until this morning when he passed on,” said a close relative.
Tumwine collapsed at a marriage ceremony about three weeks ago. He was rushed to Nakasero hospital Uganda for urgent medical attention. But due to their failure for improving his situation, he was airlifted to Nairobi.
Education and qualification
Elly Tumwine attended Burunga Primary School, Mbarara High School, and St. Henry’s College Kitovu. He later joined Makerere University, where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art together with a Diploma in Education and he specialized in the history of art painting in 1977.
He graduated from the Cadet Officers Course at the Tanzania Military Academy at Monduli. He also attended the Senior Command Course at the Uganda Senior Command and Staff College at Kimaka, in Jinja, Uganda, and graduated in 2005 being in a pioneer group of students. Tumwine also holds further military qualifications from the military academy in Vystry, in the Soviet Union.
Military career
General Elly Tumwine (12 April 1954 – 25 August 2022) was a Ugandan military officer, professional artist, and educator. He was the Security Minister in the Cabinet of Uganda, from March 2018 until 2021. He retired from active military service in July 2022.
In 1978, he interrupted his teaching career to join the FRONASA forces led by Yoweri K. Museveni to fight the Idi Amin Dada regime. In 1981, when Museveni went to the bush to form the National Resistance Army (NRA), Elly Tumwine went with him. He is reported to have fired the first shot in the National Resistance Army War, which propelled the National Resistance Army and National Resistance Movement into power in Uganda in 1986. During the fighting between the NRA and the UNLA, Tumwine sustained facial injuries that led to the loss of sight in one eye and he was fond of putting on sunglasses in public.
In 1984, Tumwine ranked Commander of the Army, until 1987, when General Salim Saleh succeeded him. Over the years, he served as Minister of State for Defense in 1989; Director General of the External Security Organization (ESO) from 1994 until 1996; Presidential Adviser from 1996 until 1998; and High Command Appeals Committee Chairman from 1986 until 1999.
He has also continuously represented the UPDF in the Ugandan Parliament since 1986.
In September of 2005, he was promoted to the rank of General in the UPDF and named to chair the UPDF General Court Marshal by HE Yoweri K Museveni.
On Monday 16 May 2022, Tumwine was among 34 generals who were officially retired from the UPDF. And this ended his military career in memory of his deeds for the country.
The late Elly Tumwine will always be remembered for his bravery and outstanding performance for the country.
