Kampala — In Kasese where Maj. Gen. Kazini hailed from, his death has been received with several people expressing shock, surprise, bitterness and loss according to our reporters in Kasese.

"It is a tragedy. How can the man who so gallantly fought and defeated the terrorist Allied Democratic Front (ADF) rebels in western Uganda and eastern D.R Congo die in such circumstances?" several Kasese town dwellers were heard asking themselves in several parts of Kasese town yesterday.

News of the general's death started trickling in at 7.00 a.m.

Kasese district chairperson, the Rev. Julius Kithaghenda, said the Rwenzori region had lost "a developmental son and a brave freedom fighter."

Masaka Resident District Commissioner, Barnabas Bamusedde Bwambale, who hails from Kasese in a message to The New Vision described the incident as "very sad indeed."

South Rwenzori Diocesan Bishop, Jackson Thembo Nzerebende, said the country had lost a "brave fighter and a very developmental person."

Bishop Nzerebende said, "Kazini helped the Rwenzori region to get rid of the ADF and we were proud that he was also constructing the biggest personal hotel in Kasese."

The news hit the business community with a thunderbolt.

"As a business Community, we have lost a our business icon. Kazini has been helping us whenever we approached him to give us business clues," the district chairperson of the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Costa Bwambale, told The New Vision.

He also recalled that Kazini had offered his public address syetem to spice the coronation of rwenzururu king, Charles Mumbere on october 19th, for which he would have hired at 6m/=.

Bwambale, who owns several fuel stations recalled that the business communtiy was flourishing in Kasese following the deafet of the ADF, which in march 2006 attacked Kasese town, killing 11 people and burning over 50 vehilcles before the UPDF led by Kazini, crashed the rebels.

The business community in Kasese reciprocated Kazini by giving him over 200 bags of cement to help him construct his hotel that overlooks Kasese town centre.

However, Kazini returned returned the cement to government when the IGG probed him over the offer.

Former Kasese woman MP and Uganda's representative on the African parliament, Loice Biira Bwambale, said amidst tears described Kazini's death as " a dark day in the history of Kasese and Uganda.

"As family friend I feel devastated," she said.

She also said the district had lost a bridge and a channel between the different ethnic groups in the area.

"He was great ally of the women in Kasese," she said. She called for district-wide mourning in the district in honour of Kazini, who hailed from the district.

Journalists in Kasese said they would continue to remember Kazini as a rare breed of a soldier who always treated the media as allies not enemies especially during the war against the ADF.

He would in most cases ensure we were in the field to report what we saw," several said.