President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander in Chief of the armed forces has said that he is angry that his fallen comrade Gen. Aronda Nyakairima died of a preventable health condition.
“I am annoyed because Aronda died from a condition which had either not been detected or if detected was not addressed thoroughly” the president has said.
The president who first addressed the mourners in Luganda has described Aronda as very careful army soldier who had survived the HIV wave which claimed many Soldiers as a result of the excitement and appreciation from the civilians who welcomed them from the bush and engaged in risk sexual behaviors.
“it is our duty as fighters to work while on earth but also prepare to go to heaven when God Calls” said the president.
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has graced the funeral service attended by friends, family, government officials, dignitaries and the general public.

Earlier, head of police health service and forensic pathologist, Dr Moses Byaruhanga who led a team of doctors which carried out Gen Aronda’s autopsy on Wednesday at Mulago National Referral Hospital told mourners at Kololo that the general succumbed to acute heart failure.
According to Dr Byaruhanga, noted red eyes of the fallen general which was due to reduced blood flow back into the heart.

He also said there was congested brain caused by failure of blood to flow from the brain back into the heart.
“The heart was also enlarged with presence of bleeding within the muscle of the left ventricle (one of the heart chambers) involving the whole thickness of the muscle,” he said.

According to the pathologist, there were many old small areas of damaged heart muscle (scars) due to interruption of the blood to the heart. The heart also had an abnormal fat layer surrounding the heart blood vessels. Some blood vessels had also been affected by the excessive fat.
They also found out that the lungs were markedly enlarged with small minute areas of bleeding on the outer surfaces. This according to the pathologists showed excessive accumulation of fluid and blood on cut surfaces.
He said the two findings were due to failure of blood from the lungs into the heart.

In his speech, the army commander Gen. Katumba Wamala has described the late Aronda as a spectacular army officer and irreplaceable.

The inspector General of Police Gen Kale kaihura has described Gen Aronda as a very professional army soldier who never distanced himself from the wanainchi (ordinary person) which is a rare characteristic of  a man of Aronda’s rank in the army.

Kaihura has laid a wreath at the cascade of his fallen comrade.

By Joshua Mutale