Uganda to probe sudden death of president's ally

KAMPALA, May 3 (Reuters) Uganda is to investigate the sudden death of a top army officer widely viewed as a likely successor to President Yoweri Museveni, amid speculation he might have been poisoned, a state newspaper said today.

Brigadier Noble Mayombo, seen by many as Uganda's second most powerful man, suffered multiple organ failure and was flown by presidential jet to Kenya, where he died today.

The 42-year-old's death from what started as acute pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, has fuelled rumours in the local media that he was murdered.

''Was Mayombo poisoned?'' read the front-page headline of the independent Daily Monitor, without, however, giving sources for the speculation.

Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga was quoted by state-owned daily New Vision as saying government doctors would do a thorough post-mortem to determine the cause of Mayombo's death.

''We are interested in knowing what precipitated Brigadier Mayombo's illness,'' he said. ''We shall wait for the doctors' word. If it was poisoning, we shall know.'' A close Museveni aide, Mayombo was promoted to military intelligence chief, followed by Defence Ministry permanent secretary and chairman of the New Vision's media group.

Museveni, 63, has ruled Uganda since staging a coup 20 years ago. The topic of his successor is hotly debated.

Ugandan officials could not be independently reached for comment yesterday's reports.

REUTERS SG KP1434