A Saturday morning accident at Nyamitanga, Mbarara District claimed the life of former Kampala Capital City Authority Director George Agaba.
The news of his demise was received with disbelief as thousands broke down in grief across the country. Political contemporaries poured in their condolences. Despite sharing an acrimonious past with some Opposition figures, particularly the Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, his demise received mature responses.
Mr Lukwago – gave out a short statement on his Facebook page after the news of Mr Agaba’s death: “My condolences to the family and friends of Mr. George Agaba, former KCCA Director for Physical Planning, who has died in a nasty motor accident,”
The duo’s rivalry dates back to 2011 and beyond before Mr Agaba hit the limelight when he was appointed to the physical planning job at KCCA. He led many operations, some violent, to evict vendors and other city dwellers.
In January 2012 Mr Lukwago was widely blamed Lukwago for calling Agaba a killer and using the Luzira incident in which John Onyango was shot dead as a platform for inciting members of the public.
In fury, Lukwago went to different radio stations claiming that for a long time evictions in the city have been a one-man show by George Agaba, who, according to Lukwago, hijacked the process. He would go on to say he was not surprised that it finally turned bloody. The Lord Mayor said he and a committee of five councilors are supposed to be part of the Metropolitan physical planning authority but they are sidelined by a very connected ‘westener.‘
Days later at an Activists for Change (A4C) rally in Kireka, a city suburb, Lukwago and then Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Dr. Kizza Besigye were singled out by Police after they allegedly called for locals to lynch George Agaba if they spotted him anywhere. The Police summoned both Lukwago and Besigye to appear before its Kireka-based Special Investigations Unit (SIU) but they refused.
Mr Agaba and his bodyguard Mr Makmot were later cleared of the murder charges by Nakawa High Court presided over by Justice Faith Mwondha. KCCA gave the family of the deceased three million shillings. Those who were injured were also reportedly given 500,000 shillings each.
He was later fired by KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi on allegations of corruption, among other things.
A source says Lukwago’s nemesis Musisi had been ordered by President Museveni to give Agaba his old job again.
Dr Violet Kajubiri Froelich, a sister of President Museveni was travelling with the deceased when the accident happened.
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