By Charles Mukiibi and Sam Okaka

Residents of Abeyibuti village in Akokoro sub-county, Apac district have asked the Government to construct a secondary school in memory of former President Dr. Apollo Milton Obote.

Abeyibuti is Obote’s home village, where he was buried. The residents, especially elders, said Obote was one of the people who had shaped Uganda’s history since independence and would, therefore, want his legacy to live on.

On Wednesday, Obote’s elder brother, Obadia Akaki, led a team of Vision Group reporters to Obote’s burial grounds, where preparations were in high gear to organise prayers for him on Independence Day.

Akaki said as Uganda celebrates 50 years of independence, Obote’s family would hold prayers to thank God for the great achievements their son made for the country.

Obote was one of the political leaders, who led the country to independence from the British administration in 1962.

He was also Uganda’s first Prime Minister (1962-1966) and a two-time president (1966-1971) and (1980- 985).

As was the norm until 2003, the country’s president was also the Chancellor of Makerere University.

Obote was the first chancellor of Makerere University, from 1970 when the institution became an independent national university of the Republic of Uganda, to 1971 and then from 1981 to 1985.

Makerere University was formerly part of the University of East Africa (1963-1970).