Death is the most painful part of life, that we must accept, yet some deaths are hard to accept, Written by Mawa J Collines, MP Aspirant for Maracha East Constituency.

Written by Mawa J Collines, Maracha East Constituency MP Aspirant 2026 - 2031 on Independent ticket.

📸: The body of late Ambassador Angualia Richard lying in a pool of blood after he got involved in a head-on collision accident with another motorcycle rider near Abi Zonal Farm, Ayivu East - Arua City at 5pm 29-7-2025. Courtesy Photo.

📸: The portrait of the late Ambassador Angualia Richard.

The news of the gruesome death of Amb. Angualia has shocked me and many others who knew, even from a distance, the kind of man he was. 

I received the message with disbelief. For a moment, I stared blankly, hoping perhaps someone had gotten it wrong. That maybe there had been a mistake. But there was no mistake. He was gone. Just like that.

Amb. Angualia was not just another name in the political or diplomatic world. For me, and I believe for many young people in Maracha, he represented something rare: boldness without arrogance, service without selfishness, and a dream for leadership rooted in principle. 

I first got to know of him during his 2011 attempt to unseat Hon. Alex Onzima. He lost the election, yes, but he won something much more important. He won hearts. He won admiration. He planted seeds.

That election changed how I viewed leadership. It was the first time I saw someone challenge a sitting political giant not with insults, not with cheap populism, but with clarity, ideas, and a burning desire to see his people rise. He didn’t need to shout to be heard. He carried himself with quiet strength, and you could feel the weight of his convictions every time he spoke.

Long after that election, he kept on serving in different capacities, including as an ambassador. But wherever he was posted or stationed, one thing remained constant; he never forgot where he came from. 

He never lost touch with the people. He walked the dusty paths of Maracha not as a visitor, but as a son of the soil.

It’s painful to imagine that someone who still had so much to give, so much wisdom, vision, and fire could be taken away so suddenly, and in such a cruel manner. A road accident. 

One moment you're alive, maybe laughing or thinking about tomorrow’s meetings. The next, everything fades into darkness. It's heartbreaking.

But even in death, Amb. Angualia leaves behind something powerful, his example. He showed us that you can lead without compromising your values. That you can serve and remain grounded. That losing an election doesn’t make you a failure. And that no matter how small your beginning, you can rise to represent your country with honor.

He is gone, but not forgotten. His voice may have gone silent, but his story continues to speak. To inspire. To call us to live purposefully. To challenge us to be bold, kind, and committed to the people we serve.

To the family, to all who knew him closely, and to the many like me who were quietly inspired from afar, I extend my deepest condolences. We have lost a good man. A rare one.

May Amb. Angualia’s soul rest in perfect peace. And may his life continue to stir us toward greater things.

By Collines Jeremiah Mawa

 

 _The writer is a candidate for Maracha East constituency MP.