Renowned businessman Apollo Nyegamehe, popularly known as Aponye, died in the motor accident while talking on phone with his wife.
Aponye perished in a motor accident last Thursday evening at Itojo on the Mbarara-Kabale road.
Speaking during a vigil at the family home in Lubowa on Entebbe Road on Sunday evening, Aponye’s wife Evangelist Nyegamehe revealed the last moment with her husband.
“We were on the phone as he approached Itojo, the point of the accident. I told him to please travel safely and he replied that they would go well, then the phone went dead. I called again shortly after but it was busy. I called again and it was busy. Then a call came through and I was told that my husband had died,” she told mourners who included Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, former Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, former deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao, among others.
Ms Nyegamehe also hailed her husband for his industrious nature, revealing that he built his own house at the age of 15 and married her at age 20 in 1978.
“He had never beaten me. He took me to Israel last. He repented and was a very close to God at the time of death,” she said.
She also hailed Aponye for being a very humble man.
“He was extremely generous, he was kind and slow to act. My children from the different wives, please work together or we may fail. You are the children of the same man,” she remarked.
The same remarks were repeated by Dr Rugunda, who spoke on behalf of all friends of the deceased, and said Aponye’s humility was unrivalled.
“The life of Aponye is a textbook. If you pick any angle of his life, you will be amazed by how far reaching it can be. In the area of politics, he was a humble man, but he was able to move mountains without making any noise, without talking. Rukiga, where he was a leader, was a very turbulent area historically but when he took over leadership, he was able to unify Rukiga,” he said.
“In church, he was unrivalled in his support for church activities and projects. For instance, recently, he brought Chinese people to build a house in Muhanga, these South Sudanese friends here. He has shown that with humble education, you can move mountains,” he added.
Notable people in attendance at the vigil were Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, Dr Rugunda, former deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao and businessman Hajj Omar Mandela.
Others are; former security minister Gen Henry Tumukunde, Gen Ivan Koreta, Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabashaija, and State Minister for Health (General Duties)Hanifa Kawooya.
Some of the notable contributions towards the funeral costs include Speaker Anita Among who contributed $10,000 (Shs36 million), Mr Tayebwa Shs10m, Uganda Grain Council Shs10m, businessmen Charles Mbire (Shs10m) and Godfrey Kirumira (Shs10m).
Today, Monday, there is requiem mass for Aponye at Rubaga Cathedral.
He will be buried on Wednesday in Muhanga, Rukiga District.
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