REST IN PEACE: The tombstone of Obote’s grandfather, Ibrahim Akaki Oto, in Abeibuti
By Ali Mao and Alex Ocen in Akokoro
Former President Apollo Milton Obote will be buried near his father, Stanley Opeto’s grave in Abeibuti, Akokoro sub-county, Apac district, clan members have said.
Obadia Akaki, Obote’s brother, said in keeping with Lango culture, men of Obote’s stature are always buried near their parents in family cemeteries.
“We the heads of Oyima clan have resolved to bury him near our father Opeto because if they bury him elsewhere, it means we are breaking our clan norms,” Akaki said.
Akaki drew prolonged laughter when he told other clan members that he wanted to talk to The New Vision reporter in camera because he does not want interference.
In the interview, he hailed President Yoweri Museveni as a kind man that God should continue blessing and guiding to lead the country.
“The clan members of Oyima are extremely happy with President Museveni for his sympathy to allow the body of our brother be brought back and accorded a state burial,” said Akaki who lives at their ancestral home at Abeibuti.
The Government has agreed to accord the former president a state burial as stipulated in the Constitution, sparking mixed reactions across the nation.
The Muslim communities have asked why Obote should be granted a state burial, which was not accorded to a former head of state Idi Amin who died in Saudi Arabia.
“Now that my brother (Obote) is dead and I am also very weak, I am asking President Museveni to continue giving support to the family of Stanley Opeto (the then father) because we are left like orphans,” Akaki said as he fought back tears.
Preparations for the burial started on Thursday. The clan members and sympathisers were slashing the compound awaiting the arrival of the body from southern Africa where Obote died on October 10.
The clan chief of Oyima in charge Maruzi county, Patrick Adoko Engur, said relatives, in-laws and friends had arrived to assist in the burial arrangements and see modalities to receive and bury Obote.
“We are sad to hear the death of our brother who worked for the development of this nation. We thank President Museveni and his government for granting our son a state burial,” Engur said.
“It is part of our culture to pay respect to the dead.
“We will converge here until our son is laid to rest near his father’s grave as he had said before his death,” Engur added.
