Brig Kulayigye, in response on Monday morning described the post as a ‘shame’. “If modernity is equivalent to wizardly, then I would rather remain backward. In a society with norms, NO one wishes another dead!!! But some people are going to a great length declare the living, dead!”
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Courtesy photo of ailing Gen Elly Tumwine
The
Uganda People’s Defence Forces – UPDF has condemned social media antics for
declaring Gen Elly Tumwine ‘dead’. It follows a trending Twitter post announcing the departure of the four stars General on Sunday night.
“It
is with untold grief that we announce the death of our patriotic soldier and friend
to the nation, Gen Elly Tumwine who has passed on at 10pm at Aga Khan Hospital,
Nairobi where he was airlifted on Thursday. The UPDF shall communicate further
arrangements”, the false Twitter post read.
UPDF spokesman Brig Kulayigye, in response on Monday morning described the
post as a ‘shame’, saying: “If
modernity is equivalent to wizardly, then I would rather remain backward. In a
society with norms, NO one wishes another dead!!! But some people are going to
a great length declare the living, dead!”
Earlier, Gen Tumwne’s daughter, Cynthia Tumwine, tweeted and dismissed the social
media rants. “Adversity
will teach you so much about human nature. That said I wouldn’t wish the last
24 hours on anyone. Time travel needs to undo social media because it’s
currently in the pits. God is faithful regardless though. We give
him praise”, she tweeted.
Tumwine, 68, is a retired Ugandan military officer, an artist and educator. He is the former Security Minister from 2019 to 2021. He also
served as commander of the then National Resistance Army - NRA from 1984 to
1987.
Write-ups about Tumwine's alleged demise started trickling in on social
media on Friday following his evacuation to Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi in
neighbouring Kenya earlier in the week. It is not the first time social media
is announcing Gen Tumwine’s ‘demise’, and other high profile Government
officials.
Other
personalities who have recently been announced ‘dead’ on social media yet they
were still alive include the late Speaker of
Parliament Jacob Oulanya, State Minister in charge of Karamoja Agnes Nandutu, and Eng Hillary
Onek, the Lamwo County MP and Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and
Refugees.
Several
of such falsified new items is what has prompted Kampala Central Member of
Parliament, Muhammad Nsereko to introduce a law on cyber-harassment, which the Speaker has currently referred to the Committee on Information Communications Technology - ICT for further scrutiny.
In the proposed bill, Nsereko prescribes stringent measures to address
the gaps, the technological abuse with its grave impact on health, human
relations and society at large such as 15 million Shilling fine, lengthy jail
terms or both, and a 10-year-ban from holding public office for convicted
offenders.
Journalist
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.
