Sergeant Steven Kifulugunyu was the chief composer of morale boosting songs during the bush war and the power of song helped the weary soldiers make it through the tough days, has passed on.
He died on his way to hospital on the morning of Wednesday November 15, 2017.
Kifurungunyu is a musician and claimed to be the singer behind popular songs such as Nitasonga, Kino kye kiseera, Mwoto nawaaka, Kibonge among others.
Kifulugunyu served the army for 43 years and retired in 2008 at the rank of Sergeant.
He was married to Saudha Nalubega and both are residents of kilokole – Ttula in Kawempe.
The retired officer on November 3, 1978, the Ugandan army blew up the Kagera Bridge at the start of the 1979 Uganda-Tanzania war.
Earlier in 1965 when Uganda went to support Congolese nationalist rebels led by Moishe Tshombe, Kifulugunyu was among the soldiers who participated in that war. In 1973, when the late Col Muammar Gaddafi of Libya invaded Chad, Kifulugunyu was also among the soldiers of fortune. Uganda had sent some soldiers to train in Libya in a Commando Course.
After the 1979 war, Kifulugunyu like all former Uganda army soldiers was imprisoned. But in 1980, he managed to escape with other ex-servicemen from Upper Maximum Security Prison, Luzira and in 1984 when a one Kasinzi took him to the National Resistance Army (NRA) rebels who made him the OC Morale.
The liberation struggle in the jungles of Luweero triangle was fought on many fronts. Amongst one of the persuasive powers at the treacherous battlefront were liberation songs which uplifted the spirit of fighters in times of despair.
After 44 years in the army Kifulugunyu was retired in 2008, at the rank of Warrant Officer Class I (WOI), obtained in 1973.
