By Hanning Mbabazi
Kampala: The body of former Premier Prof. Apolo Nsibambi will lie in state at parliament for legislators to pay tribute to the longest serving Ugandan prime minister.
The communication was made during the plenary session of parliament in which members observed a moment of silence for the country’s longest serving Prime Minister. Nsibambi, who died at age 78, served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2011, when he retired from active politics. A special sitting of parliament will be held Friday in honour of Nsibambi, to remember the great things he did for this country. According to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, Prof. Nsibambi will lie in state prior to the special sitting, as members pay tribute to a man widely admired for an exemplary lifestyle correlated with eloquence, warmth, smartness, and humor.
In a separate press briefing, Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda released the official burial program for the ex-premier indicating that he will be laid to rest on Tuesday, June 4th, in Buloba, Kaseero village, after a requiem Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe. Nsibambi died on Monday at his home in Lungujja, Mengo after losing a battle to cancer. President Yoweri Museveni paid a glowing tribute to Nsibambi, who was also a former Chancellor of Makerere University. Speaking at his home in Bulange, Mengo, president Museveni said he was proud of the service that Nsibambi had rendered to the country during his lifetime, and praised him as an instrumental figure in the harmonization of salaries at Makerere University, restoration of kingdoms and bridging the gap between war veterans and the academia. Dr Muhammad Kiggundu, a Communication and international relations manager at Makerere University said the former premier’s body will also lie at the University’s Main hall from 5:00Pm to 6:00Pm such that the students and alumni can pay tribute to him.
