KAMPALA — President Yoweri Museveni has said the fallen deputy government spokesman Col. Shaban Bantariza was a dedicated cadre who worked for Uganda’s liberation and development.
Museveni joined other mourners including Bobi Wine and other government officials to celebrate the life of Col. Bantariza who succumbed to COVID-19 on Tuesday October 27.
“I received the sad news of the death of Col. Shaban Bantariza, the Deputy Government Spokesperson. He was a dedicated cadre who worked for Uganda’s liberation and development,” Museveni wrote on Facebook.
President Museveni eulogized the late Bantariza as a true cadre and one who was eloquent as he spoke for the UPDF and government.
Meanwhile, government spokesman Ofwono Opondo has confirmed to journalists that his deputy Col. Bantaliza succumbed to COVID-19.
“His samples were tested and it was confirmed that he had contracted Covid-19. The postmortem has been done and it confirmed that he died of Covid-19,” he said.
Bantariza’s recent public activity was when he had declared interest to contest as a representative of western region on NRM’s Central Executive Committee.
He also served as the UPDF spokesperson from 2000 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2006. For a period of time, prior to February 2009, Batanzira, at the rank of lieutenant colonel, served as the commander of the Oliver Tambo Leadership School, in Kaweweta, Nakaseke District, in Uganda’s Central Region.On 26 February 2009, he was appointed commandant of the National Leadership Institute (NALI), in Kyankwanzi, Kyankwanzi District. He served in that capacity until he was relieved of his duties on 7 October 2011.
In June 2013, he was appointed as Deputy Executive Director of the National Media Centre. On 2 July 2013, at the rank of colonel, he was arrested, charged with embezzlement and remanded to Makindye Military prison by the General Court Martial on charges of alleged fraud. After proceedings that lasted nearly three years, the Court Martial, chaired by Major General Levi Karuhanga, acquitted Colonel Bantariza due to lack of evidence against him, on 14 April 2015.
On 24 June 2015, following his acquittal by the general court martial, he resumed work at the Uganda Media Centre, the president of Uganda having directed in writing that Bantariza resumes work.
