EDITOR
The remains of the late Colonel Anthony Kyakabale, a former National Resistance Army (NRA) fighter who later turned rebel, were on Monday laid to rest at his ancestral home in Nyakarambi Village, Rwamucucu Sub-county, Rukiga District, with full military honors, including a three-gun salute.
The burial, held at around 4:10 p.m., drew hundreds of mourners who gathered to pay their last respects to a man whose life mirrored Uganda’s complex political and military history. Kyakabale, 73, succumbed to cancer on October 5, 2025, in Sweden, where he had been living for several years.
During a burial Mass held at Rushebeya Playground in Kitojo Parish, Rev. Fr. Marius Byamukama, the parish priest of Kitanga, urged leaders to focus on building a lasting legacy for their people. He decried the poor state of major roads in Rukiga, including Muhanga–Kisiizi–Kebisoni and Rusheyeya–Murukiri–Butobere, calling them a hindrance to development.
“We cannot talk about development when our roads are impassable. Leadership should leave behind a legacy that improves people’s lives,” Fr. Byamukama said.
Representing the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Maj. Gen. Ambrose Musinguzi, Chief of Staff in charge of Health Services, hailed Kyakabale as “a selfless and dedicated soldier who served his country with distinction during his time in the army.”
According to John Bagashasha, the deceased’s uncle, Kyakabale was born on October 10, 1952, in Nyarurambi Village. He attended Kakatunda and Katungu Primary Schools, then Mutorere Secondary School in Kisoro. Before joining the army, he worked as a teacher.
Kyakabale’s military journey began in 1979, when he joined the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) under then-President Milton Obote. Two years later, he defected to FRONASA, led by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and fought in the Bush War that brought the current government to power in 1986.
He was injured during the war alongside Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde and later treated in Nairobi before returning to the frontline. Over his military career, he held several key positions, including Barracks and Stores Officer, Head of Combat Logistics, Court Martial Chairman, Brigade Commander in Kasese, and Operations Commander for the Second Division.
Kyakabale also participated in the 1990–1994 Rwandan conflict, which eventually led to the rise of Paul Kagame’s government.
Between 2001 and 2015, he lived in self-imposed exile, co-founding the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) with Col. Samson Mande and Col. Edison Muzoora, a rebel group that opposed President Museveni’s rule.
In 2015, he reconciled with the government, received a presidential pardon, and was promoted to Colonel before officially retiring. He later served as Senior Presidential Advisor on Reconciliation before relocating to Sweden.
Col. Kyakabale is survived by his wife, Patience Kyakabale, 24 children, and 40 grandchildren.
