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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Veteran politician Yona Kanyomozi has died. Kanyomozi died on Sunday at Nakasero Hospital.
Jimmy Akena, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) President, confirmed Kanyomozi’s death to Uganda Radio Network (URN) saying that more details will be availed.
Kanyomozi, 82 has previously served in different capacities as Minister, Member of Parliament at the national and regional level, activist, and technocrat.
He served as Minister of Cooperatives and Marketing, Bushenyi South Member of Parliament during the Obote II regime in the 1980s, Kajara County representatives in the National Resistance Council from 1989 to 1996, and other positions.
The Uganda People’s Congress -UPC stalwart also between 2001 and 2006 represented Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Besides his political life, Kanyomozi served as an economic advisor in the then Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) from 1966 to 1970, Director of Industrial Development Center Uganda from 1970 to 1972, Assistant General Manager of the East African External Telecommunications Company from 1972 to 1977, Associate consultant Price Waterhouse and other positions.
In an interview with Uganda Radio Network –URN in December 2020, ahead of the 2021 general election, the veteran opposition politician said that he did not believe that the current biggest Opposition party- the National Unity Platform (NUP) under Robert Kyagulanyi could wrest power from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party without bloodshed.
Kanyomozi then said that the only way regime change can happen under the current political situation is through a popular uprising which will result in many casualties.
Kanyomozi said then that this line of regime change is a steep sacrifice and too high a cost to pay. He believed that the 1981 to 1986 liberation war that brought the NRM to power also cost thousands of lives but has instead made the political climate in the country much worse than before.
The deceased was also passionate about rebuilding his party, the Uganda People’s Congress, and in August 2017, he said that UPC had the potential to resurrect and build a strong formidable force. This was during the party’s event at which they honored former UPC national chairman Maj. Edward Rurangaranga at their party head offices at Uganda House.
Kanyomozi also wished for a UPC free of factions and differences.
Born in Kajara, Ankole, Kanyomozi went to Ntare School and also held a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics, 1966, Master of Science in Administrative Science, Graduate Business Centre, London, 1969.
In separate interviews with the media, the late wished to be remembered as a man who was always concerned about ordinary people.
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