The family of the late Maj. John Kazoora has praised President Museveni for extending unwavering support during the former bush-war hero’s long illness, despite their well-known political differences.
Speaking at a heartfelt funeral service held Wednesday at All Saints Church in Nakasero, the family expressed deep appreciation to the president and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for their steadfast support over two decades of medical care.
MP Naome Kabasharira, widow to the late Kazoora, lauded Museveni’s loyalty to his former comrade, saying the president never turned his back on Kazoora even in times of political divergence.
Kabasharira told mourners that; “John was stubborn, but I want to tell you that the president cannot forget people with whom he fought in the bush, especially when they fall sick.”
Kabasharira detailed how Museveni’s intervention became critical when Kazoora, who had battled diabetes and related complications since 2003, required emergency medical care abroad.
“I did not know what to do, so I reached out to Afande (Proscovia) Nalweyiso, who helped me reach the president with ease, and he footed the rest of the bill,” she recalled, referring to a life-saving heart operation in Turkey.
Throughout the two-decade battle with illness, Kabasharira said the UPDF also stepped in several times to support the family with medical expenses.
She revealed that President Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni personally called to extend condolences following Kazoora’s passing on Easter Sunday.
Gen. Ivan Koreta and Maj. Gen. Francis Takirwa were among close friends from the army who made regular hospital visits to Kazoora. At the requiem service, the UPDF was represented by Gen. Sabiiti Muzeyi, a longtime family friend and head of Luwero Industries Ltd.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa also attended.
Still, the family expressed disappointment over the absence of some of Kazoora’s old-time comrades from the NRA days.
Arnold Kazoora, the eldest son, lamented the silence from his father’s contemporaries, saying their absence left a void in telling the story of his father’s contribution to the liberation struggle.
“As the president always says, there were six batches in the NRA, and his group is unfortunately not here,” he said. “It is sad that we don’t have anybody who can come and speak about his work in that group… to tell us his story regarding what he did for the army.”
Despite the absence of some former comrades, the family’s testimony serves as a strong rebuttal to claims that Maj. Kazoora had been abandoned by the state. Instead, they painted a picture of a president who, beyond politics, remained loyal to the bond forged in the crucible of war.
