Ugandan President Gen Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni has described his fallen junior labour minister Col (Rtd) Charles Engola as a lion who successfully fought wars. In a eulogy, Museveni revealed that he first saw Engola in Lubiri barracks before it was returned to the King of Buganda, the Kabaka.
Engola was manning a 14.5mm anti-air-craft gun in 1986 when Museveni first saw him. He would later become an infantry Commander in the Minakulu area.
“That is when he got his ‘Machodwogo’ Kikubyo (praise name). Mac in our Luo language means fire. Dwogo, means, ‘coming back’ (Okudda, Okugaruka),” narrated Gen Museveni.
“The peasants who gave him that Praise name, meant that when he took command of the Army in the area, people were able to make fires again in order to cook, warm themselves (okwoota omuriro). Before Okello defeating the Kony terrorists in the area, people were in hiding, fearing to make fire so that the terrorists do not see the fire and come for them.”
Engola would later ride on this popularity to win an election as an LCV Chairman. After that, Engola served as a Member of Parliament (MP). Museveni also hinted on plans to beef us top security officials’ security.
“On account of that popularity, he was elected LC-5 Chairman and, eventually, Member of Parliament. I was very happy to appoint him a Minister of State. His killing by this body-guard was a big crime to Patriotism in Uganda. We would have hunted him to exact justice on him. Unfortunately, he took his own life; hence, we did not have that opportunity,” he further wrote.
“There is an ongoing investigation. I await the conclusion of that investigation before I comment on the security of public officials and the mistakes made and how we will rectify them.”
You can read more on Minister Engola’s profile Here.
Meanwhile, more details are emerging on the bodyguard who shot Minister Engola dead. (Read Stories Here and There).
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