Cecilia Ogwal death: Museveni regrets missed opportunity

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has rued a missed opportunity of working with deceased Dokolo legislator Cecilia Atim Ogwal.

In company of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, President Museveni on Monday, January 22, 2024, paid tribute to the Late Ogwal, 77. 

Ogwal, who has been a Member of Parliament since 1996, breathed her last on January 18, 2024, in India after a short illness.

Attending a vigil to honour the fallen legislator at Parliament, President Museveni said he is saddened not to have fully worked together with Ogwal because of “politics of fragmentation”.

Health minister Ruth Acheng with some of the family members of the late Ogwal

“I feel sad because of the politics of fragmentation. We couldn’t work together fully although we had similar qualities,” the President said.

“I have not worked optimally with Cecilia Ogwal, but I can tell you when I eventually met her I could see that she is a patriot," he added.

Always work together

The President advised MPs to always work together whenever there is an opportunity, especially on matters of national importance.

“Take this as a lesson, don’t miss opportunities to work together if there is an opportunity because now some of you are regretting why you didn’t work with her,” Museveni said.

The patriot in Ogwal

He further recounted their encounter with Ogwal in northern Uganda while fighting the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) where one rebel — Vincent Otti rang the MP threatening to kill her if she did not support the rebels and reject the National Resistance Movement. He disclosed that Ogwal stood her ground and rejected the war.

“She will be remembered for her patriotism by refusing to succumb to the pressure of joining Vincent Otti and other rebels in their fight against us,” Museveni added.

The President also informed the MPs that during the processes of the Constituent Assembly, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) was telling its followers to reject the activities but Ogwal was able to advise them that what they were doing was wrong, saying that all people must participate irrespective of their political affiliations.

“That was the second time I noticed that she played an independent and positive role saying 'no! we may not be NRM but the people of Lango must participate', and they participated. The third one was when she was elected to the African Parliament, if you went there to the African Parliament in South Africa, you wouldn't know that she was not NRM. Outside there she was a big defender of Uganda; she was very patriotic,” Museveni said.

President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni

Politics of hatred

He noted that Ogwal was a good leader whose contribution was suppressed by the bad atmosphere created by the politics of hatred.

“I want to thank all the leaders who are isolating that politics of hatred. Cecilia Ogwal was very much in that process of rejecting that politics of hatred. Akena, Betty Amongi of UPC, Mao of DP have rejected that. Those who are still in the politics of hatred are very few and we know them. You can imagine they even tried to sabotage this NAM,” President Museveni said.

Incorruptible MP

“Hon. Ogwal was a leader of development and definitely not corrupt. Even when she was in the parliamentary commission, you couldn’t hear any dirt on her. We celebrate her contribution towards the country, and we also celebrate her achievements like raising a big family, looking after her husband and educating her children,” he added.

President Museveni also lauded the fallen MP for her exceptional role in pacifying the northern region which had been affected by the LRA insurgency and politics of hatred.

President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni laying a wreath

Uniting factor lost

On her part, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Anita Among thanked the President for granting the late an official burial which will include a gun salute.

“That means a lot for the people of Lango, for the people of Uganda, especially for a lady who always worked for this country,” she said.

She informed President Museveni that Parliament has lost a uniting factor in Hon. Ogwal.

“Whenever there was an issue in the house, the only uniting factor we had was Cecilia Ogwal. She was a nationalist and a mother to everybody. She put Uganda first before any political party. We thank God for her life,” the Speaker said.

At the time of her death, she was a member of parliament's committees on physical infrastructure and budget.

She also served as Uganda's representative to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and a Parliamentary Commissioner in the 10th Parliament.

The vigil was attended by among others, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Premier Robinah Nabbanja, ministers and Members of Parliament.