President Museveni has described the deceased State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Rtd Col Charles Engola as “a lion”.
Engola was shot and killed by his bodyguard, Pte Wilson Sabiiti, on Tuesday morning in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb.
The president eulogized the fallen Minister as a Commander who contributed to the defeat of Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels under Joseph Kony in the Lango sub-region.
Here is the president’s full statement:
Fellow Ugandans, condolences on the death of Colonel (rtd) Charles Engola.
Colonel (rtd) Charles Engola was a lion. I, first saw him in Lubiri barracks (before it was returned to the Kabaka), manning a 14.5mm anti-aircraft gun in 1986.
Later, he became 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).
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, and warm themselves (okwoota omuriro).
Before Okello defeated the Kony terrorists in the area, people were in hiding, fearing to make a fire so that the terrorists do not see the fire and come for them.
On account of that popularity, he was elected LC-5 Chairman and, eventually, a Member of Parliament. I was very happy to appoint him as Minister of State.
His killing by this bodyguard 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.
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.
Yoweri K. Museveni Gen (rtd)
P R E S I D E N T (Ssabalwanyi)
3rd May 2023