Ex-UN diplomat Otunnu decries values erosion, rallies the Luo to regain their pride

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Former United Nations diplomat and political leader Dr Olara Otunnu has urged the Luo people in Uganda to reclaim their lost dignity, unity and sense of purpose by rejecting political division, dependency, and moral decay.

Speaking passionately at the burial of Daina Atto, 96, in Mucwiny Village, Otunnu lamented that the values that once defined the Luo: Hard work, self-reliance and brotherhood, are fading fast. He said it was disheartening that a community that once produced towering figures of intellect and faith was now sinking into idleness and hopelessness.

Mourners at the burial. (Courtesy)

“Our youth spend entire days in trading centres playing pool. Those with a bit of money drink themselves into oblivion. Many depend on handouts rather than working with their own hands. This is not the Luo spirit we inherited from our forefathers,” he said.

Dressed in a big, coffee brown shirt and trousers, he swaggered with the gait of a village celebrity.

Otunnu reminded mourners that meaningful change begins at the ballot box. He cautioned them against selling their votes for short-term gains such as beer, T-shirts, or cash, arguing that such acts perpetuate poverty and bad leadership.

“Your vote is worth far more than a pint of beer. We need visionary leaders who can guide us toward economic independence, peace, and the revival of Wan ken wa - the brotherhood that once bound us together,” he stressed.

His message, delivered under the scorching Mucwiny sun, seemed to stir deep reflection among mourners. When Atto’s casket was lowered into the grave, a gentle drizzle fell even as the sun continued to shine - a phenomenon the elders interpreted as a blessing from above.

Atto, a devout Christian and resilient matriarch, had witnessed Uganda’s turbulent journey - from the fall of Idi Amin in 1979, through Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency, to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Her life, Otunnu said, embodied the endurance and strength that once characterised Luo womanhood.

Her son, Charles Okwir, tearfully recalled how his mother protected her children during the chaos that followed Amin’s downfall.

“When the guns thundered in Jinja in 1979, she pushed us under the bed and said she would stay on top to take the shell if it landed on us,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

As mourners shared memories of Atto, many turned their thoughts to Otunnu’s words. Some noted that prominent Luo icons such as Okot p’Bitek, the celebrated poet, and Archbishop Janani Luwum, the martyred Anglican leader, would be saddened by the decline of values in their homeland.

“Our people no longer worship God, but politicians and money. “That is the root of our moral decay. And yet this is a place that has produced two of Africa’s first saints, Aru Jildo and Daudi Okelo,” noted Rapheal Ogutu.

Others echoed similar frustrations about the breakdown of family roles, chanting slogans and social shunning of responsibility.

“Gone are the days when men were hunters and providers. Many have abandoned their children and shy away from marriage. Real men are disappearing from our community,” lamented Flora Akwi.

Otunnu’s rallying call - for unity, accountability, and a revival of cultural pride - resonated deeply in a region still healing from the scars of war and poverty. His message goes beyond mourning the dead; it was a plea to awaken the living.

As the mourners from across the departed, some whispering prayers and others deep in thought, one sentiment lingered in the air - that the Luo must rise again, not through politics or pity, but through hard work, faith, education and the rediscovery of Wan ken wa - the bond of brotherhood that once defined their greatness.

The occasion was seen climaxing in dancing. (Courtesy)

The occasion was seen climaxing in dancing, singing, ululating, and feasting. Professor Moses Olar De Nyeko 77, recounts teaching in Mengo Secondary School before fleeing to exile.

“I had a chance to meet playwright Okot, who made us proud to be who we are Song of Lawino. We, the Luo ought to remain proud of who we are and what we inherited. I remain the youngest headmaster to serve this nation of ours after teaching in Mengo Secondary School.”