It was a somber mood at Kangole village, Napak district in Karamoja Sub-Region as hundreds of mourners turned up for the burial of the former MP for Moroto Municipality Simon Peter Aleper.
Aleper 49 was the NRM Vice Chairperson for Karamoja region and died in a road crash at the beginning of last week along the Tirinyi-Pallissa road when was on his way to attend a Central Executive Committee meeting in Kampala.
In his tribute delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo, President Yoweri Museveni saluted Aleper’s contribution to the socio-economic transformation of Karamoja region.
Museveni said Aleper served his Country and the NRM Party, with distinction and commitment noting that the party has lost a loyal cadre and great mobiliser.
He said the death of Aleper has robbed the Country of a resourceful leader, who made a contribution to fostering unity and development in Karamoja region.
The President further noted that Karamoja was a neglected place before the NRM came to power and that this was a big mistake and evidence of the short-sightedness of the previous regimes.
“Every part of Uganda is capable of producing wealth and jobs for our people, provided it is supplied with modern infrastructure including good roads, electricity, schools, hospitals,” he said.
He noted that today, Karamoja is quickly transforming into a model hub for mining and manufacturing and Hon. Aleper was on the forefront of sensitizing the people to welcome investors.
“The NRM party shall remain indebted to him for the invaluable service, which he rendered in the Country. Aleper remained true to the principles of the NRM, which emphasize prioritizing the interests of the people of Uganda adding that the party has been privileged to associate and work with a cadre of his caliber and vision” he said in his speech read by Alupo who also represents Katakwi district in Parliament.
He told mourners that as they mourn the death of Aleper, we also celebrate his wonderful legacy and exemplary leadership.
“He has departed from us after offering distinguished service to Uganda and to the NRM Party. All those who associated with him must be proud of his legacy and emulate his good works,” he said.
Finally Museveni prayed to the Almighty God to grant the family the fortitude and courage to go through this trying moment.
“As I said last week, the NRM will support the widow and children of the late Hon. Aleper, since they have been deprived of a bread winner. The NRM is a big clan and therefore, the children of Hon. Aleper will not be orphaned,” he said.
The president promised to get a better job for the widow Nadiye Scola and also provide the children with a family small house in Kampala.
Meanwhile, the Chief celebrant Rt. Rev. Simon Akol Aisu, the Bishop of North Karamoja sent his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and asked government to improve on the conditions of the road network in the country especially in the capital Kampala and Highways.
He described Aleper as extremely God fearing person and a focused politician for serving beyond the country beyond self.
His send-off was attended by CEC members, Ministers, Members of Parliament, Secretariat leaders, cultural leaders, family and friends from all walks of life.
The widow, Schola Nadiye thanked NRM government especially president Museveni for according her husband a descent send-off.
Nadiye is a community development officer in Napak district earning a small salary that cannot support the family.
The children described their late father as very loving and a man of rare qualities-gentle, kind and unassuming.
According to Dr. Paul Alan, a pathologist from Mulago national Referral Hospital, Kampala, Aleper died from multiple injuries, internal bleeding that included fractures on his skull and ribs and broken liver following a car crash.
Karamoja Sub-Region becomes second to lose its representative on NRM CEC in this term after that of Northern Uganda which fell vacant following the demise of former speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
