Hundreds view Obote

By Alfred Wasike and Charles Ariko

Hundreds yesterday queued for several hours to view former President Dr. Apollo Milton Obote’s body at Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) headquarters at Uganda House, Kampala Road.

Business at the central Kampala complex came to a standstill when the Police cordoned it off and erected a metallic checkpoint to screen the mourners.

Workers in the banks, restaurants and shopping arcade were told to close until 5:00pm or join the long queues waiting to be screened to view the body.

The body, which lay in a mahogany-coloured casket, was draped in the blue, red and black UPC colours. It was carried by eight Police pall-bearers in a slow march with weapons turned down to symbolise a state funeral at 10:00am from his residence in Kololo.

Obote’s wife Miria and her children Jimmy Akena, Edward Engena, Tony Akaki, Bernard Opieto and Philomena Achen, accompanied the hearse.

Party officials were led by the Constitutional Steering Committee chairman, Haji Badru Wegulo. They included Okello Okello (vice), Peter Walubiri (secretary general), UPC London bureau chief Joseph Ochieno, CSC members Henry Mayega, Dr. Kilama Moro, Samia Bugwe North MP Aggrey Awori, Obote II ministers Sam Odaka, Samwiri Mugwisa, Patrick Rubaihayo, Yona Kanyomozi and hundreds of other UPC faithful.

The body was placed on a red carpet under a black Uganda Funeral Services marquee draped in UPC colours. The Luo Joint Christian Choir and a compact disc system provided sombre music as the mourners filed past the open casket.

“Dr. Obote loved Uganda. He loved his party. The people also loved and still love him. The coffin cost sh10m. The treatment of his body cost sh20m,” Kilama said, adding that the body would be preserved for 200 years.

The viewers started queuing by 8:00am and were not done by press time. The body was scheduled to be in Parliament by 5:00pm yesterday but the numbers kept surging.

An excited Wegulo said, “Look at all these people lining patiently to view their fallen leader. We are humbled by the big turn-up. And we thank the people of Kampala for turning up in such large numbers. Unlike other people who ferry their supporters, ours came on their own.”

Wegulo thanked the Government for its efforts to make Obote’s family comfortable by purchasing for them necessary household items.

When Obote’s body arrived at his Kololo home on Tuesday, the house did not have any furniture including curtains except hired plastic garden chairs. But by evening, some furniture had been delivered.

A UPC activist based at the party’s base, Richard Wanambwa, lamented, “It is a pity that our leader has to return to this building in a coffin. He was last here three days before the July 27, 1985 coup by Tito Okello when he addressed the party’s National Council which people like Haji Wegulo attended.”

Former Presidential Policy Commission chairperson Dr. James Rwanyarare who was suing Obote for dismissing him, said, “His actions spoke louder. He had love for the country, Africa, and he dedicated himself honestly to serve the people of Uganda. We pray that God rests him in eternal peace.”