Africa-Press – Uganda. James Musinguzi Garuga is dead. He was a businessman, an employer, a politician, and everything in between. He was born in 1953 in Kihihi Sub-county, Kanungu District. His son, Johnnie Musinguzi, said he died at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala yesterday morning, where he had been admitted with breathing complications. “It’s true my father died this morning at Nakasero Hospital. Share with me your WhatsApp number so that I can post more details when I settle down, Mr Johnnie Musinguzi said in a phone interview. He hadn’t shared more details by press time. One of Garuga’s closest friends, Charles Byaruhanga, said the deceased had recently complained of joint pain that was treated at Nakasero Hospital. “After joint pain was treated, Garuga developed pain in his throat, which was also treated. Shortly thereafter, he developed breathing complications and we decided that he gets back at Nakasero Hospital for thorough treatment and today morning he passed on,” Mr Byaruhanga said.
Mr Byaruhanga said although Garuga was diagnosed with cancer of the throat in 2005, it was fully treated, and they were wondering if it could have resurfaced. The news about Garuga’s death sent chilling waves across the Kigezi Sub-region. “It was hard to believe that James Musinguzi Garuga is no more. I had to make a few phone calls to verify the information that was circulating on social media. I later confirmed that social media information about Garuga’s demise was true. I almost fell down because all my body parts were shaking,” the Kanungu District Council Speaker, Mr Frank Byaruhanga, said. Mr Byaruhanga, who doubles as the chairman of the tea nursery bed operators in south western Uganda, described the late Garuga as a pillar of development that was dependable, trusted, role model for all entrepreneurs and local people in Kigezi Sub-region and Uganda in general because of his non-sectarian approach.
“We shall always remember him for being a pioneer in constructing an airstrip in Kanungu District and the Savannah hotels that have since become very important in promoting tourism in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We shall also remember him for establishing about eight tea processing factories in the Kigezi region, where hundreds of people are employed. His dedication to provide financial support required for the construction of churches, health facilities, education institutions, and community roads shall always remain in the minds of the beneficiaries,” Mr Byaruhanga said. Mr Byaruhganga also said that Garuga Musinguzi shall always be remembered for his gesture of providing electricity using generators to the people of Kihihi and Kanungu towns in Kanungu district for many years before the government’s programme of rural electrification came in.
The Bishop of Kabale Diocese, Rt Rev Callist Rubaramira described the late Garuga as a man of the people, who offered his hard-earned resources to serve the needy and empower them for economic development. “We shall always remember him for his expertise that helped Kabale Diocese to start tea-growing projects in some of its parishes. We shall continue to pray to God to rest his soul in peace and also bless the work he did for the society while he lived on earth,” Bishop Rubaramira said. The retired Bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi, George Bagamuhunda described the late Garuga as a generous man who helped everyone who sought assistance. “I remember when I was still a bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi, Garuga sponsored eight students for a three-year bachelor’s degree course because they were needy.
I was saddened by the information about his death because I had not completed his assignment given to me on reconciling some big people in this country. We need God’s mercy because Kigezi is losing its important people in a very short time that include Prof Mutebile, Prof Kanyehimba and now James Musinguzi Garuga,” Bishop Bagamuhunda said. The chairman of the Kigezi tourism cluster, Canon Ivan Mbabazi Batuma described the late Garuga as a seasoned entrepreneur who prioritised the establishment of tourism infrastructure in the Kigezi sub-region. The mayor for Kabale Municipality, Mr Byamuguisha Sentaro, said the late Garuga will always be remembered for funding the construction and beautification of Kabale’s main roundabout and the bank lane along the Kabale-Kisoro road.
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Garuga began his primary education at Kinkiizi Primary School, then joined Mbarara High School in 1971, and later joined Makerere College School for A Level, from where he then joined Makerere University for a Bachelor of Commerce degree. After graduation, he got a job at Rayon Textile Limited as an accountant, and after one year, he joined Shell. In 1980, he rejoined Makerere University for a bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) In 2001, he stood for Kinkiizi West Member of Parliament seat against the then Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi, and he lost the election and petitioned the court, which nullified the electoral process, although he did not contest again.
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