Professor Patrick Rubaihayo R., a former top UPC boss passed away in his early 80s. After the Obote Il regime fell in 1985, Rubaihayo withdrew into the academic world.
He began a full-time teaching position at Makerere’s Faculty of Agriculture. Rubaihayo passed away on Sunday night from issues related to high blood pressure. It’s said that on Sunday night, after supper, he suddenly started feeling ill at his Kashari home in Mbarara.
Family members hurried to take him to the hospital, but he passed away enroute. He had done some errands in Mbarara Town earlier in the day. His blood pressure spiked so high last year that he had to spend weeks in the hospital before it settled. Due to this, he was able to return to his regular life.
Prof. Patrick Rubaihayo R. was a lifetime member of Congress who held the positions of Mbarara Central MP for the UPC and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Obote II (1980–1985). Alongside Henry Mayiga, Mr. Kirunda, Prof. Adonia Tiberondwa, Prof. Kagenda Atwooki, Prof. O Afunaadula, he was one of those UPC leaning professors at Makerere University.
This group continued serving as congressmen at Makerere throughout the early years of the new millennium. Besides, Prof. Rubaihayo held a number of posts in the UPC national leadership.
One of these was a member of the PPC, which oversaw the party and kept the congress going during Milton Obote’s exile in Zambia. In addition, he worked under Olara Otunnu, the party’s successor, and Miria Kalule Obote who also led the party at some stage.
Professor Patrick R. Rubaihayo was a member of the team led by Peter Walubiri, who steadfastly resisted Jimmy Akena, the son of Miria, for the manner he was managing the organization while attempting to gain control of the party and Milton Obote Foundation (MOF), which many view as its financial arm.
On top of that, he was a renowned crop scientist. Prof. Rubaihayo made a name for himself at Makerere University by becoming a renowned crop agriculturalist at the Faculty of Agriculture. After retiring and becoming Professor Emeritus, he continued to supervise numerous graduate students. He was also involved in some kind of consultation.
Beyond the classroom at Makerere, Prof Rubaihayo (who spent much of his later years at his new home in Busega) was the Vice President & Council member of Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS). He was also a businessman.
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One of his private businesses was a secondary school, Makerere Modern SS, located along Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road in Kikoni. He was a director at the school for decades and it remains his business up to this day.
Burial arrangements will be communicated in the due course. May his soul rest in peace
