President of the republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has paid a glowing tribute to late Mzee Boniface Byanyima, describing the deceased politician as a champion of education and agriculture.
Byanyima passed away on Tuesday May 16 at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala at 97. As a principled leader, he is remembered for standing his ground in the early 1960s to oppose the new independence , even when almost all Democratic Party (DP) Members of Parliament crossed the floor and joined the ruling Uganda People's Congress (UPC).
Gen. Museveni said Byanyima was among the pioneer Ugandans who loved teaching, explaining their first interaction in 1959 when the president joined Mbarara High School where the DP icon was a teacher.
Museveni notes that his contribution in education cannot be under-estimated, having been among the first people in Ankole to get education and become teachers. Byanyima taught Museveni in Junior one and two.
He hailed him of his contribution towards modern farming in the Ankole region saying that Mzee Byanyima was among the first three groups of people to practice modern agriculture which included paddocking, ranching, and spraying of animals from ticks.
Museveni also hailed Byanyima for playing a significant role as chairperson of DP for a long time. He noted that he had a unique character that he always stood his ground in politics.
President Yoweri Museveni and Boniface Byanyima were once like father and son. While still in school, Museveni was adopted into the Byanyima family where he would spend his high school and university holidays.
The Byanyimas treated him as their own, and to this day, Museveni's high school and university books hold their place in the Byanyima family library.
Byanyima would later narrate that even as a young boy, Museveni was ambitious and never hid his desire to be at the helm of political change and leadership, whether in his local community or on the national stage.
Museveni himself has confessed that when he was entering politics, it was only Mzee Byanyima who understood and encouraged him. And for that he would be eternally grateful to him.
"I was a very ardent supporter of DP and when I grew up I became very active after my A'level in 1966, I liaised with Byanyima who introduced me to some elders some of who I knew, others I didn't know in 1967. That is how we were able to do some work there," Museveni said.
Museveni noted that Byanyima has left a legacy having played his part and most of the times as a pioneer, starting new things.
"Later on when I joined freedom struggle, although he remained in DP, we remained on good terms," the president said.
A successful rancher, Byanyima married Gertrude Kabwasingo, also a teacher and future political activist, in January 1956. They lived together for 52 years until Gertrude passed away in 2007. They had 7 children; Edith, Winnie, Bernard (RIP), Anthony, Martha, Abraham and Olivia.
Byanyima will be buried on Sunday at his home in Ruti, Mbarara Municipality.
