NEBBI.
President Museveni’s first supporters of the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) party, Santino Othondhe has passed on ,
Othondher ,94 was a resident of Acer Got Nyango cell, Nebbi Municipality in Abindu Division.
Othondhe’s son, Mr Charles Otimgiu Othondhe, reported his father’s death to the top ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leadership in the district on Sunday evening.
“The family is stuck with burial expenses due to financial constraints,” Mr Otimgiu said.
He said the family is expecting over 2,000 mourners with an estimated burial budget of over Shs 20 million. They are unable to raise even Shs 2 million. Othondhe has been working as a night watchman at Nebbi General hospital.
Who was Othondhe
At the age of 31, Othondhe witnessed the 1962 Independence celebrations as the British left Uganda.
In 1980, he joined Mr Museveni as one of the first supporters of UPM, and became the first man to welcome him (Museveni) in Nebbi.
He helped promote the UPM and the National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) after Mr Museveni captured power in 1986.
About 10 years ago, he received the Luweero Triangle medal as part of the NRM government’s recognition for his contribution towards the liberation struggle.
Nebbi District NRM Party Chairman, Mr George Kermundu Adubango, described Othondhe as a traditional NRM fanatic who started supporting the UPM in the 1980s.
He said he had participated in the just-concluded NRM primaries and that his love for the party would be missed.
“He served his party with humility and love with outstanding character of patriotism for the country. His legacy in the party will be hard to copy. He never defected to any other political party,” Mr Kermundu said.
During each visit to Nebbi, President Museveni rarely missed shaking hands with Othondhe, epitomising the fond love they had, according to political commentators in the district.
The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Robert Abak, said: “Mzee Othondhe was so visionary and lived within his means in the UPM party during his time and very close friend to the president. His presence could easily be noticed in any public gathering by the president.”
His 75-year-old widow, Fressi Cungirwoth, urged the president to continue supporting the family financially.
“My husband was bedridden for a week after an abrupt accident from falling while accessing the toilet outside the building. He has left a big gap in the family,” Cungirwoth said.
Othondhe will be laid to rest on Thursday at his ancestral home on the outskirts of Nebbi Municipality.