The army is mourning the untimely death of its senior officer Col. Shaban Bantariza who passed on Tuesday morning Mulago Referral Hospital where he was admitted for 3 days.
Bantariza, however slipped into coma and was rushed to intensive care unit and at 2am he breathed his last.
At the time of his death, Bantariza has been deputizing the government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo.
The former army spokesperson, according to Col Deo Akiki (the deputy army publicist) has been sick for week.
Whereas the army couldn’t deny or confirm that Mr Bantariza died of COVID-19, this website has established that he was admitted with breathing complications.
A doctor at Mulago Hospital told this website on condition of anonymity that it is true Bantariza succumbed to COVID-19.
“The virus had entered his lungs, and because he had other complications, he went into comma and we couldn’t resuscitate him,” he said.
Col. Deo Akiki said, the military is waiting for an official communication from Mulago Hospital.
Minister of ICT Peter Ogwang said Bantariza died of low blood pressure.
“It’s a sad morning having been informed by the family about the death of Col Shaban Bantariza, the Deputy Government Spokesperson. He has been having low blood pressure. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” Ogwang broke the news on Twitter.
Bantariza was last seen in office about 2 weeks ago. He recently shifted to the Ministry of ICT on Parliamentary Avenue where he had been allocated a new office.