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Otunnu explains why he had retreated from Kampala
Otunnu, who is among seven candidates standing to succeed António Guterres as UN secretary-general, said on Wednesday (July 29) that he has been trying to “resuscitate” the Acholi sub-region, which bore the brunt of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.
Former United Nations (UN) diplomat Dr Olara Otunnu. (New Vision/Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
By: Umar Kashaka, Journalist @New Vision
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Former United Nations (UN) diplomat Dr Olara Otunnu has explained why he had retreated from Kampala to his village in Mucwini, Kitgum district, for close to 10 years.
Otunnu, who is among seven candidates standing to succeed António Guterres as UN secretary-general, said on Wednesday (July 29) that he has been trying to “resuscitate” the Acholi sub-region, which bore the brunt of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.
“The last several years, as you know, I have been buried deep in the womb of the countryside right here in Uganda, trying to resuscitate a society broken by war and conflict,” he told a press conference at the ministry of foreign affairs in Kampala.
He added; “That is where I buried myself the last several years. I came from global to local, and now, the call has come to say; we want the local boy to come back to global.”
The press briefing was moderated by the ministry of foreign affairs permanent secretary, Vincent Bagiire. It provided updates on Uganda’s support for Otunnu’s candidature and the broader vision for the role of the UN secretary-general.
Otunnu said he moved to the village to support his community, which had been broken down by the LRA insurgency.
The LRA insurgency began in Acholi in 1987 under the command of Joseph Kony and the rebellion spread into Teso in June 2003, bringing death and destruction to many areas.
During the conflict, cattle rustling increased poverty in Northern Uganda, and many young people grew up in internally displaced persons' camps, which disrupted their transition to adulthood.
The press briefing was moderated by the ministry of foreign affairs permanent secretary, Vincent Bagiire. It provided updates on Uganda’s support for Otunnu’s candidature and the broader vision for the role of the UN secretary-general.
Otunnu said he moved to the village to support his community, which had been broken down by the LRA insurgency.
The LRA insurgency began in Acholi in 1987 under the command of Joseph Kony and the rebellion spread into Teso in June 2003, bringing death and destruction to many areas.
During the conflict, cattle rustling increased poverty in Northern Uganda, and many young people grew up in internally displaced persons' camps, which disrupted their transition to adulthood.
After the conflict, many communities had reduced access to education and health services due to the absence of qualified staff. Infrastructure, such as roads and transport links, was also severely damaged.
The LRA later moved its campaign of terror to DR Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic after being defeated by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
Insecurity was a campaign bait for the opposition in the entire northern region during the 1996 and 2001 general elections. However, the return of peace in 2006 turned out to be President Yoweri Museveni’s masterpiece in the area.
Since 2011, the Government has been executing war recovery programmes, through the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) II and the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP II).
NUSAF and PRDP are affirmative action programmes meant to rehabilitate northern Uganda. Under these programmes, the Government built tarmac roads, constructed classrooms and teachers’ houses as well as supplying desks and sinking boreholes, among other things.
The LRA later moved its campaign of terror to DR Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic after being defeated by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
Insecurity was a campaign bait for the opposition in the entire northern region during the 1996 and 2001 general elections. However, the return of peace in 2006 turned out to be President Yoweri Museveni’s masterpiece in the area.
Since 2011, the Government has been executing war recovery programmes, through the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) II and the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP II).
NUSAF and PRDP are affirmative action programmes meant to rehabilitate northern Uganda. Under these programmes, the Government built tarmac roads, constructed classrooms and teachers’ houses as well as supplying desks and sinking boreholes, among other things.