When Uganda attained her independence from the British in 1962, the landmark transition was signaled by the lowering of the Union Jack and hoisting of the Uganda National Flag on October 9. The man responsible for that memorable activity, Kanuti Akorimo, is dead.
At the rank of Major (Retired) in the army, Akorimo, according to reports we have received succumbed to pneumonia occasioned by a stroke at 7:30am yesterday at Atutur Hospital in Kumi District. The late had completed 89 years on earth.
Dr Isaac Omare, the family doctor told the press that the deceased ‘had been battling with the illness for a long time and had been in and out of hospital until late last year when he suffered a stroke.’ Mr Akorimo reportedly suffered the stroke for almost nine months.
Dr Omare further clarified that the deceased suffered from aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection that develops after you aspirate (inhale) food, liquid, or vomit into your lungs. He explained that if you are not able to cough up the aspirated material, bacteria can grow in your lungs and cause an infection.
“Because one side of the body was not working as a result of the stroke, there was no way he could clean up his lungs through cough because even the lungs themselves were paralysed,” Dr Omare said.
Before he passed on yesterday, contact was made with State House to have Mr Akorimo transferred to Kampala for further medical treatment.
“We have been treating him and then let him go home. But on Friday, his condition worsened and we admitted him. Two days later we put him on oxygen. Yesterday (Tuesday) we alerted State House. He was to be transferred to Mulago hospital, but he passed away today [yesterday morning].” Dr Omare told journalists.
Ms Christine Apolot, the Kumi District LCV Chairperson said Maj Akorimo deserves a befitting sendoff by the state and that he should also be honoured in Parliament since he contributed a lot to the independence of the country.
“We communicated to State House, through the Constituency MPs, so we cannot communicate to the family of what Government plans to do until we get the feedback,” Ms Apolot said.
The late Akorimo served the British government for more than 20 years and retired as a major in 1968. At the time of his death he was living in Omatenga, his home village in Kumi.
