Oyima clan to name Obote heir
Dec 13, 2006
THE heir of former president Milton Obote will be named on December 28, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has announced.
By Chris Kiwawulo
THE heir of former president Milton Obote will be named on December 28, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has announced.
UPC national youth leader Benson Obua Ogwal yesterday said the party was not yet aware of who the heir is at the moment.
He disclosed that the party and Obote’s clan, Oyima, were in the process of organising the former UPC leader’s last funeral rites at his ancestral home in Akokoro, Maruzi sub-county in Apac district.
“This last funeral rite is unique. It will bestow special honours to Dr. Obote through the installation of his heir and naming of the grandchildren born after his death,†said Obua.
Addressing the press at Uganda House, Obua, who is also the MP for Moroto county in Lira, declared that the commemoration of Obote’s death and birthday celebration would be annual events.
Obote, who died on October 10, 2005, was born on December 28, 1924.
Obua said UPC had a long list of people invited to the function, including government officials, envoys and foreign delegates, but declined to name any.
The party chairman, Hajji Badru Wegulo, treasurer Patrick Mwondha and Obote’s son Jimmy Akena attended the briefing. But party leader Miria Kalule Obote, who is Akena’s mother, was absent.
The party stalwarts said they did not know whether Obote left a Will behind, but they revealed that the heir would be decided by his clan in the absence of a Will.
“The issue of the Will is expected to come up in the clan meeting. If the Will is there, well and good. But if it is not there, the clan will decide who will be the heir,†Mwondha said.
Asked whether he was willing to take up the responsibility if named the heir, Akena replied in the affirmative.
Akena’s son, born on August 15, will be among the grandchildren to be given names at the ceremony.
“I would be insane if the clan decided that I become the heir and rejected it. I cannot refuse if I am picked,†Akena said.
However, the Lira Municipality MP was quick to add, “Remember I have three brothers and I am the third born.â€
Obua said the clan organised the last funeral rites in fulfilment of its traditional and customary obligations to the dead.
UPC held the first anniversary of Dr. Obote’s death on October 10 at Kololo airstrip in Kampala.
THE heir of former president Milton Obote will be named on December 28, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has announced.
UPC national youth leader Benson Obua Ogwal yesterday said the party was not yet aware of who the heir is at the moment.
He disclosed that the party and Obote’s clan, Oyima, were in the process of organising the former UPC leader’s last funeral rites at his ancestral home in Akokoro, Maruzi sub-county in Apac district.
“This last funeral rite is unique. It will bestow special honours to Dr. Obote through the installation of his heir and naming of the grandchildren born after his death,†said Obua.
Addressing the press at Uganda House, Obua, who is also the MP for Moroto county in Lira, declared that the commemoration of Obote’s death and birthday celebration would be annual events.
Obote, who died on October 10, 2005, was born on December 28, 1924.
Obua said UPC had a long list of people invited to the function, including government officials, envoys and foreign delegates, but declined to name any.
The party chairman, Hajji Badru Wegulo, treasurer Patrick Mwondha and Obote’s son Jimmy Akena attended the briefing. But party leader Miria Kalule Obote, who is Akena’s mother, was absent.
The party stalwarts said they did not know whether Obote left a Will behind, but they revealed that the heir would be decided by his clan in the absence of a Will.
“The issue of the Will is expected to come up in the clan meeting. If the Will is there, well and good. But if it is not there, the clan will decide who will be the heir,†Mwondha said.
Asked whether he was willing to take up the responsibility if named the heir, Akena replied in the affirmative.
Akena’s son, born on August 15, will be among the grandchildren to be given names at the ceremony.
“I would be insane if the clan decided that I become the heir and rejected it. I cannot refuse if I am picked,†Akena said.
However, the Lira Municipality MP was quick to add, “Remember I have three brothers and I am the third born.â€
Obua said the clan organised the last funeral rites in fulfilment of its traditional and customary obligations to the dead.
UPC held the first anniversary of Dr. Obote’s death on October 10 at Kololo airstrip in Kampala.