13 gun salute as Major General Sande is laid to rest

Mourners at the grave of Maj. Gen. Deus Sande
Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) on Sunday accorded a 13-gun salute to Major General Deus Karachi Sande as he was laid to rest at his ancestral home in Ruboroga-Kachuro Village, Kigata Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, Kabale District. A casket containing Major General Sande was lowered into the grave at exactly 04:53 PM.
Major General Sande passed away on Wednesday from hypertensive heart disease, according to a preliminary postmortem report that was read by UPDF officials to the mourners. He developed a rapid and strong cough while on his way to attend the funeral of Major General Francis Takirwa. He was first rushed to Double Cure Hospital in  Mpigi, but died as preparations to refer him to a higher medical facility were underway.
The report explains that his lungs were found enlarged and prolonged (experiencing pulmonary edema), and the left ventricle of the heart was enlarged and working under pressure — a sign that his blood pressure was not controlled. The report also explains that his blood pressure was at 224 mmHg (systolic/top number), beyond the 150 that he used to measure.
Preaching during the Mass, Rev. Fr. Devis Keinamura, Kabale Diocesan Financial Administrator, who represented Bishop of Kabale Diocese Calist Rubaramira, said that Sande will be remembered as a long-time God-fearing man because even during his teenage years, he would trek from home to Rushoroza Cathedral to volunteer as an altar boy.Keinamura also described Sande as a donor who, by the time of his death, was renovating a primary school in Kachuro, Kigata Parish, where he started his education career, as well as donating construction materials — specifically iron sheets — to churches in Kabale District, Masaka, and Entebbe.
Rev. Fr. Keinamura used the same platform to ask Christians to develop the spirit of reconciliation after wronging each other, because God and Jesus teach reconciliation. Rev. Fr. Keinamura also asked Christians to pray to God to forgive Major General Sande wherever he wronged people, because he was also human and could make mistakes.
Family members, led by his son, Lieutenant Deus Wildred Kwebaza, scoffed at a section of netizens and others who posted messages celebrating the death of Major General Sande. They said that, as a family, such celebrations cannot scare or shake them because death is mandatory for every person. Kwebaza warned those celebrating to stop and be careful because, in African culture, whenever a person dies, he is forgiven for all the things he did not do right.Kwebaza said that as a family, they have no demands regarding the late, because he played his part in contributing towards the peace Uganda is experiencing. He also said that his father died very happy because his wish of seeing President Yoweri Museveni win the 2026 general election was achieved.
The deceased’s wife, Annet Kyampeire, said that out of the three children Sande is survived by, two are still unemployed and asked the government to provide them with jobs. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces of the UPDF, in his eulogy read by Major General Henry Masiko Ndarubweine, the Chief Political Commissar of the UPDF, said the deceased was a distinguished officer whose exemplary performance, commitment, resilience, and hard work earned him admiration not only from his seniors and peers but also from his subordinates. Muhoozi said the departed general was instrumental in the restoration of peace and security in the country.
Major General Masiko, speaking as an individual, disabused a section of people who he said were making nonsensical comments that Major General Sande died of stress. He said the deceased always lived a stress-free life to the extent of sparing time to watch football games of his favourite English football club, Arsenal.
Chief mourner General Mbadi Mbasu, the Minister for Trade, asked Ugandans to emulate the deceased for the positive achievements he made, especially in working hard to ensure that Uganda remains stable. Major General Sande drew national attention during the 2021 presidential elections when he made political remarks that sparked controversy and raised questions about his role as a serving army officer. He publicly declared that the UPDF would not allow anyone outside the NRM establishment to assume the presidency.After his death, a section of Ugandans wrote on social media, celebrating, accusing him of mistreating and harassing opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters in Masaka.
Background
Major General Sande was born on July 26, 1964, in Kachuro, Kigata Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, to the late Mathew Karachi. He joined the army on May 5, 1989. He was appointed Officer in Command Mechanized Regiment in 1992, Instructor at War Armoured Brigade Headquarters in 1993, Administrative Officer Armoured Brigade Headquarters in 1996, Officer in Command Armoured Brigade Headquarters in 2000, Commanding Officer 2 Tank Armoured Brigade Headquarters in 2002, Commanding Officer 2 Tank Battalion Special Forces Command in 2002, Commanding Officer 1 Tank Battalion in 2004, Commanding Officer 4 Tank Battalion in 2005, Directing Staff at Junior Staff College in 2006, Chief Instructor Mechanized War College in 2014, and Commander of Kasijjagirwa Armoured Division in Masaka City from 2020 to the time of his death.
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