KAMPALA — The army has confirmed death of longserving senior officer, Lt. Gen. Pecos Kutesa.
UPDF deputy spokesperson, Col. Ronald Kakurungu, confirmed the news on Tuesday, August 17 afternoon.
“The UPDF fraternity regrets to announce the passing on of Lt. Gen Pecos Kutesa which occurred to day in India,” he wrote, promising to give more details.
“The UPDF fraternity with deep sorrow regards to announce untimely passing on of Lt. Gen. Pecos Kutesa which occurred Today, 17 August 2021 while on admission at Max Hospital, New Delhi, India,” army spokesperson, Brig Gen. Flavia Byekwaso said in a separate statement.
He was the Commander of the UPDF Centre of Doctrine Development ans Synthetisation until the time of his retirement.
General Kutesa was first admitted to Nairobi Hospital in before he was taken to India.
Reports indicated that he succumbed complications related to internal body organs.
Lt. Gen Kutesa was among the UPDF General Officers who were retired on August 05, 2021 by President Museveni at State House Entebbe.
He was the head of doctrine in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces until his retirement on August 05, 2021.
Kutesa was one of a few officers and political actors of the liberation war to document his experiences in the book, “Uganda’s Revolution 1979-1986: How I Saw It .” The others are Yoweri Museveni, Eriya Kategaya, Matayo Kyaligonza and the late Sam Njuba.
Kutesa also trained in Munduli with Elly Tumwine, Mugabi and Napoleoon Rutambika, among others.
Kutesa was one of the first bodyguards of President Museveni crossing with him several times on the treacherous Lake Victoria to Kenya.
He was later commander of the 1st Battalion.
In How I saw It, Kutesa notes the difference in experiences of combatants in the bush and their counterparts on the political wing.
He notes how Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi asked him to first wash his car when he asked for money to buy cigarettes during a visit to Nairobi with Museveni.
