How Obote died
Oct 11, 2005
Last Sunday former President Apollo Milton Obote’s kidneys failed and, with an already damaged liver, he slipped into coma and died on Monday.
By Allen Mutono
in Johannesburg
Last Sunday former President Apollo Milton Obote’s kidneys failed and, with an already damaged liver, he slipped into coma and died on Monday.
Details emerging from the Morningside Medi-Clinic here, indicate that he suffered a stroke three weeks ago in Lusaka, Zambia, before he was flown to Johannesburg at the end of last month.
In mid-September his personal doctor in Zambia, a Ugandan called Dr. Henry Opiote, realising that Obote’s state of health was really fragile, called on his nephews in South Africa.
With the call from Zambia, one of his nephews, Albert Ogwal, a Johannesburg-based engineer flew to Lusaka.
Clearance was obtained from the United Nations, as Obote was registered with them as a political refugee and from the Zambian government and the South African high commission in Lusaka in less than 24 hours.
He was flown to South Africa and admitted to Morningside Clinic, Sandton, the suburb neighbouring Eng. Ogwal’s home in Rivonia.
At Morningside clinic, doctors worked frantically for over a week to revive Obote, who is said to have known little of what was going on around him.
Obote’s nephews kept this news to themselves and most UPC members in South Africa knew nothing of the hospitalisation, aside from the fact that the party leader was not well. The stroke had paralysed the left side of his body and his mental abilities had been weakened considerably, though he could still recognise his relatives.
The nephews, who
formed a close-knit family band, were identified as Ogwal, Agwa of Johannesburg and Dr. Obua of Zeerust, a South African town.
For long this trio, though not active in the general politics of the party, have been very influential in handling Obote’s personal and political affairs by holding regular meetings and drumming up financial support for the exiled former president and his extended family.
Obote’s advanced age had left him short of finances. The trio often helped out.
Relatives and friends were yesterday expected at Ogwal’s residence in Rivonia for the night vigil.
Preparatory meetings were also going on in Kampala and Johannesburg on the burial arrangements.
in Johannesburg
Last Sunday former President Apollo Milton Obote’s kidneys failed and, with an already damaged liver, he slipped into coma and died on Monday.
Details emerging from the Morningside Medi-Clinic here, indicate that he suffered a stroke three weeks ago in Lusaka, Zambia, before he was flown to Johannesburg at the end of last month.
In mid-September his personal doctor in Zambia, a Ugandan called Dr. Henry Opiote, realising that Obote’s state of health was really fragile, called on his nephews in South Africa.
With the call from Zambia, one of his nephews, Albert Ogwal, a Johannesburg-based engineer flew to Lusaka.
Clearance was obtained from the United Nations, as Obote was registered with them as a political refugee and from the Zambian government and the South African high commission in Lusaka in less than 24 hours.
He was flown to South Africa and admitted to Morningside Clinic, Sandton, the suburb neighbouring Eng. Ogwal’s home in Rivonia.
At Morningside clinic, doctors worked frantically for over a week to revive Obote, who is said to have known little of what was going on around him.
Obote’s nephews kept this news to themselves and most UPC members in South Africa knew nothing of the hospitalisation, aside from the fact that the party leader was not well. The stroke had paralysed the left side of his body and his mental abilities had been weakened considerably, though he could still recognise his relatives.
The nephews, who
formed a close-knit family band, were identified as Ogwal, Agwa of Johannesburg and Dr. Obua of Zeerust, a South African town.
For long this trio, though not active in the general politics of the party, have been very influential in handling Obote’s personal and political affairs by holding regular meetings and drumming up financial support for the exiled former president and his extended family.
Obote’s advanced age had left him short of finances. The trio often helped out.
Relatives and friends were yesterday expected at Ogwal’s residence in Rivonia for the night vigil.
Preparatory meetings were also going on in Kampala and Johannesburg on the burial arrangements.