Kiwanuka became Uganda's first prime minister in the new National Assembly on 1 March 1962. When Uganda Achieved it's Independence on 9 October 1962, with Obote, he become the first prime minister of uganda.
By Rehema Naggujja
The Kampala City Lordmayor, Erias Lukwago has revealed that KCCA is to elect a bigger statue in kampala in memory of Democratic party’s Benedicto Kiwanuka who has no grave and no remains in country.
“I register my concern over the demolition of Kiwanuka’s iconic house at Kabusu………… I undertook to table before Colleagues at KCCA a proposal to construct a monument (Big Statue) at a strategic place in Kampala to immortalise his illustrious life and legacy”. Lordmayor said
In a memorial mass organised for commemorating the 49th anniversary of the gruesome murder of Benedicto Mugumba Kiwanuka at Lubaga cathedral church, Lordmayor registered a concern over the demolition of Benedicto’s house at Kabusu which he said it would have been preserved and developed as a museum together with his official car as chief minister which is now grounded at Ssempebwa’s ssemagulu Museum in Mutudwe.
The main celebrant of this memorial mass was Father Nyombi who delivered the message of the Apostolic Administrator Bishop Ssemwogerere.
Benedicto Kiwanuka was born in Kisabwa to Kaketo-Namugera and was a member of the Roman Catholic Church . Kiwanuka became Uganda’s first prime minister in the new National Assembly on 1 March 1962. When Uganda Achieved it’s Independence on 9 October 1962, with Obote, he become the first prime minister of uganda.
Unfortunately, in 1969 kiwanuka was imprisoned by Obote’s government. Fortunately, he was one of 55 political detainees released by Idi Amin immediately after the coup that brought Amin to power.
As an advocate for rule of law , Constitutionalism and Justice , Amin appointed him as chief justice of Uganda on 27 June 1971. Kiwanuka soon came into confrontation with Amin’s disregard for the rule of law. In the immediate aftermath of Obote’s 1972 invasion of Uganda, Kiwanuka was arrested at gunpoint by Amin’s men as he presided over a session of the High Court. As well as countermanding from the bench some of Amin’s more draconian orders, Kiwanuka had also secretly agreed to support Obote’s return to power, with the proviso that Kiwanuka would be involved in constitutional reform.
Amini’s forces killed Kiwanuka on 22, September at Makindye Military Prison in a prolonged execution which, according to eyewitnesses, involved Kiwanuka ears, nose, lips, and arms being severed, a disembowelling, and castration before he was finally immolated.
Kiwanuka’s death was not acknowledged as an execution, with Amin instead publicly blaming it on Obote’s supporters and even launching a police investigation.
Kiwanuka’s killing was the first of a series directed against leading figures in the Baganda and Ankole tribes, aimed at curbing their power.
