Kalema Lawrence
Yesterday 8th June 2018 marked the end of Arua Municipality Member Of Parliament, Ibrahim Abiriga after being gunned down by yet unidentified assailants.
The ‘yellow man’ was sho dead by a group of four masked gunmen who were travelling on two bodabodas (literally motorcycles) together with his Body Guard, Zaidi Kongo (correct spelling for names need rectification) at around 6:15 pm just 300 meters away from his home in Kirinyabigo in Kawanda, Wakiso district.
The news of former Arua and Yumbe RDC’s death shocked after being confirmed by Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa.
Abiriga had just celebrated his 62nd birthday in May and had plans of retiring from being a member of parliament. There are a number of moments that will take long to diminish off Ugandans minds. We have got some of them for you here in both text and photos.
- From Abiriga’s car to his shoes, Abiriga always made sure he clad yellow, the NRM party color and this created both hatred and love from people of different political opinioins.
He has died as a staunch supporter for the ruling party, NRM and was a key supporter during the ammendment of the Presidential age limit bill last year in the famed ‘Togikwatako/ Gikwateko’ parliamentary saga.
Abiriga was once arrested for urinating on wall in the middle of Kampala at the ministry of finance a few meters from parliament. He was accused of committing a nuisance by easing in public contrary to section 27 of the Local Government [Kampala City Council] Maintenance of Law and Order Ordinance, 2006 before Court later fining him Shs 40,000 or serve a two weeks’ jail term should he fail to pay the money which he paid instantly.
From then, the word ‘Abiriga’ became an urban slang among the modern youths in Uganda to mean urination.
Many will never forget this photo of Abiriga.
During the State of Nation address 2017, late Abiriga’s loyalty to the ruling party saw him being awarded with black sandals by the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni that he said he will also paint them yellow.
Abiriga has been a retired military man who joined the force back in 1971 during Iddi Amin Dada’s regime.
