Slightly before 5:00pm on Friday, a queue of rally drivers in their deafening hard-body cars made their way towards All Saints Cathedral,Nakasero. The drivers accompanied a black hearse, which contained a casket carrying the remains of Charles Muhangi the African Rally Champion of 1999, who dieds uddenly on Thursday morning.
The postmortem report indicated heart attack, but talk in town stretched the cause to his long-lasting wrangle for his city properties.The security minister, Gen. Elly Tumwine, said Muhangi had approached him with fears about his life. Tumwine, who did not attend the funeral service sent a message saying he did not know Muhangi until December 4, when the former African Rally Champion came to him asking for security.
The deceased told the minister that he felt his life was under threat in relation to some wrangles he had been fighting. Tumwine said he had consented to allocate him Police officers, but he died before his security detail started duty. The rally cars escorted the funeral van to the entrance of the chapel and thereafter, moved to the parking.
African champion Muhangi was a rally champion. He made Uganda proud. So, it was befitting the rest of the brave men, who cherish themotorsport paid him a deserved send-off. Almost every soul from the Federation of Motorsport in Uganda was there to pay respects. However, so were many others from the Government, the business community, friends who Muhangi touched, andfamily, who also came to say fare thee well to their associate and friend. The church at Nakasero was full to capacity. Even the tents outside were overflowing.
The Rev Canon Erisa Grace Sentongo, one of the priests who led the service, said Muhangi had lived his life and in so doing, let his light shine on everyone he touched. The mood inside the church was unexpectedly okay,until Muhangi’s daughter, who studies at Gayaza High School came to eulogise her father.
She broke down and many in the church followed suit. Alex Katungi, a young brother to the deceased, asked the Government and specifically President Yoweri Museveni to help the family so that its property is not “taken away.” Muhangi’s wife,Patience Mbabazi, who had earlier told mourners her husband died after he had“regained possession of land at the bus park”, said Muhangi was a shrewd businessman, who, at times did not sleep at home, just so he could supervise the running of his enterprises.
“He usually slept after 2:00am and was up by 5:00 am, Mbabazi said. The funeral service was attended by former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, former security minister Gen.Henry Tumukunde, Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine, Kampala Minister Beti Kamya,Minister in Charge of General Duties, Mary Karooro Okurut, businessman KarimHirji, among others. Members of Parliament from Bushenyi district also came to pay their respects. Born September 1957, Muhangi will be laid to rest today in Bushenyi district
