Lt Gen Pecos Kutesa’s body returned, burial to take place in Lyantonde district on Sunday

Lt Gen Pecos Kutesa’s body has been returned to the Philippines from India, where he died on August 17.

Dora Kutesa, his wife, and their kid attended the remains.

The managing director of National Enterprise Corporation, Lt Gen James Mugira, who received the body, said Kutesa’s name is linked with the country’s liberation war.

“He gave his life as a young man, deciding to put his life on the line and willing to pay the ultimate price. He was a great commander who led his troops to victory in several engagements, including the legendary Katonga battle and the seizure of Kampala,” he said.

Maj Gen Stephen Kashaka, a personal friend of the dead, characterized him as a brave officer who has left a significant hole in the country.

Kutesa’s loyalty and bravery, he said, prompted him to join a conflict he didn’t know if they would win or lose.

Dora Kutesa, Kutesa’s wife, said the couple has known each other since 1980, when they both entered the bush war.

“When he received a liver transplant in 2009, God gave him a new lease on life, and it is this liver that has supported him all these years,” she said.

On August 22, Kutesa will be buried in his country house in Kabula county’s Lyantonde district.