Veteran Radio journalist Magande to be buried on Sunday

By Evans Najuna

Rukungiri: On Thursday morning, all media fraternity in Southwestern was hit hard with the news of the demise of long serving Radio and senior journalist Eliot Kabangira Magande.

Kabangira aka Mzee wa’ Kazi who has been the manager at radio Ankole breathed his last at Block A level 4, Mulago Hospital where he has been admitted over yet to be known illness.

The station director, Mwesigwa Rukutana, who is also the former Rushenyi County legislator and Former Deputy Attorney General of Uganda confirmed Magande’s death stressing that they have done all it takes to save his life but God chose to take him at this stage.

“With deep sorrow, on behalf of Radio Ankole Management and the entire staff, I announce the death of our station manager Mzee Eliot Kabangira Magande who has just passed on. He has been sick for long, we tried all it takes to save his life but God has decided otherwise. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Rukutana said in a statement.

According to the tentative burial arrangement, Mzee Kabangira’s body was today, Friday 23rd 2024 transported from Kampala to St. Matthew Cathedral Kyamate in Ntungamo district where a requiem service was held at 10:00 am before being to his residence in Nyamayenje, Rukungiri district.

On Saturday, February 24th, 2024, the body will be transferred to his ancestral home in Rwakirungura parish, Buyanja, sub-county, for a vigil at 07:00pm.

The funeral service will be held on Sunday, February 25th 2024 starting from 11:00am and then the body will be laid to rest.

Mzee Eliot Kabangira Magande, in early 90s used to read radio announcements on Radio Uganda now UBC until his retirement. He later worked on 96.9 FM Radio Rukungiri (owned by Current Security Minister Gen. Jim Muhwezi) during inception. In 2006 he moved to 99.3 Radio Ankole (owned by former Deputy Attorney General Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana) as Station manager.

He was also well known as one of the founders of Buyanja Grammar Secondary school.