Ugandan officer killed in Darfur
May 29, 2008
He had gone to help restore peace in a distant volatile land but he paid with his life. John Kennedy Oketcho, an inspector in the Ugandan Police who was serving under the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, was shot dead on Wednesday by unknown assailants.
By Hellen Mukiibi, Steven Candia And Agencies
He had gone to help restore peace in a distant volatile land but he paid with his life.
John Kennedy Oketcho, an inspector in the Ugandan Police who was serving under the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, was shot dead on Wednesday by unknown assailants.
His bullet-riddled body was found in a car near the market in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. “Unfortunately, we found one of our police officers dead in his vehicle. We are investigating the circumstances of his death,†said Noureddine Mezni, spokesman for the mission in Darfur, dubbed UNAMID.
“He was killed on duty. He was found with bullet wounds all over the body.†None of his belongings were taken from the car, Mezni said, adding that it was too early to apportion blame or motive for the attack.
Oketcho, 39, becomes the first UNAMID peacekeeper to be killed since the joint force took over from an overstretched AU mission at the beginning of this year. At the time of his death, he was working as a police adviser.
“He was a lone traveller,†explained Judith Nabakooba, spokesperson of the Ugandan Police. “He was returning to the UN detachment from the airport when the assailants attacked. They shot him four times, killing him instantly.â€
Oketcho left for Darfur as a contingent commander under the AU before it was integrated into the UN on January 1. His stay was extended because of ‘distinguished service’.
“On February 25, the UN wrote to Uganda requesting for the extension of his service for another six months. He was among 18 officers whose performance had exceeded expectations,†Nabakooba said.
Wednesday’s incident cruelly ended Oketcho’s career in the Police, which he had served for 19 years, having joined in 1989 at the age of 20.
Oketcho was passed out in 1990. Five years later, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and in 1999 to the rank of Sergeant.
In 2003, he became assistant inspector before being elevated to inspector a year later.
The UN Security Council authorised the new force for Darfur in July last year. But nearly a year later, it still has only a fraction of its planned strength. Of a projected staffing of 26,000, the force so far has just 9,200 peacekeepers, backed up by 1,300 civilian administrators.
Law and order has collapsed in Darfur where UN officials say five years of conflict have killed up to 300,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes.
Khartoum puts the death count at 10,000 and accuses Western media of exaggerating the conflict.
The conflict started after rebels from the region’s ethnic African tribes took up arms, complaining of discrimination by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. This prompted a pro-government Arab militia, called “Janjaweedâ€, to launch a counter-insurgency in which thousands have been killed.
In 2004, Sudan allowed the deployment of African Union observers, backed by AU soldiers, to monitor the cease-fire agreement.
He had gone to help restore peace in a distant volatile land but he paid with his life.
John Kennedy Oketcho, an inspector in the Ugandan Police who was serving under the UN-AU peacekeeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, was shot dead on Wednesday by unknown assailants.
His bullet-riddled body was found in a car near the market in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. “Unfortunately, we found one of our police officers dead in his vehicle. We are investigating the circumstances of his death,†said Noureddine Mezni, spokesman for the mission in Darfur, dubbed UNAMID.
“He was killed on duty. He was found with bullet wounds all over the body.†None of his belongings were taken from the car, Mezni said, adding that it was too early to apportion blame or motive for the attack.
Oketcho, 39, becomes the first UNAMID peacekeeper to be killed since the joint force took over from an overstretched AU mission at the beginning of this year. At the time of his death, he was working as a police adviser.
“He was a lone traveller,†explained Judith Nabakooba, spokesperson of the Ugandan Police. “He was returning to the UN detachment from the airport when the assailants attacked. They shot him four times, killing him instantly.â€
Oketcho left for Darfur as a contingent commander under the AU before it was integrated into the UN on January 1. His stay was extended because of ‘distinguished service’.
“On February 25, the UN wrote to Uganda requesting for the extension of his service for another six months. He was among 18 officers whose performance had exceeded expectations,†Nabakooba said.
Wednesday’s incident cruelly ended Oketcho’s career in the Police, which he had served for 19 years, having joined in 1989 at the age of 20.
Oketcho was passed out in 1990. Five years later, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and in 1999 to the rank of Sergeant.
In 2003, he became assistant inspector before being elevated to inspector a year later.
The UN Security Council authorised the new force for Darfur in July last year. But nearly a year later, it still has only a fraction of its planned strength. Of a projected staffing of 26,000, the force so far has just 9,200 peacekeepers, backed up by 1,300 civilian administrators.
Law and order has collapsed in Darfur where UN officials say five years of conflict have killed up to 300,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes.
Khartoum puts the death count at 10,000 and accuses Western media of exaggerating the conflict.
The conflict started after rebels from the region’s ethnic African tribes took up arms, complaining of discrimination by the Arab-dominated government in Khartoum. This prompted a pro-government Arab militia, called “Janjaweedâ€, to launch a counter-insurgency in which thousands have been killed.
In 2004, Sudan allowed the deployment of African Union observers, backed by AU soldiers, to monitor the cease-fire agreement.