Former minister Ngobi is alive and well
Aug 30, 2010
EDITOR: I refer to your August 23 article by Edward Kayondo about to former president Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa. In the article, Kayondo brought up the name of my very good friend, Mathias Ngobi, as one of the prominent Ugandans who have passed away.
EDITOR: I refer to your August 23 article by Edward Kayondo about to former president Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa. In the article, Kayondo brought up the name of my very good friend, Mathias Ngobi, as one of the prominent Ugandans who have passed away. I would like to inform you that Ngobi is alive and lives in his hilltop mansion at Namulesa near Jinja.
For several years, Ngobi served as the minister for agriculture in the Obote 1 government. He was one of the five ministers who were arrested on February 23, 1966, as they attended a cabinet meeting at Entebbe.
The others were Grace Ibingira (RIP), Dr. Lumu, Balaki Kirya (RIP) and George Magezi (RIP). The five were only released in 1971, after the overthrow of Obote‘s first government.
Ngobi also served as minister for agriculture between 1979 and 1980 in Binaisa's government.
Later, he was made minister of state for presidential affairs. He fled to the UK in February 1981, where he remained in exile until August 1985, when he returned after the overthrow of the Obote II government. He has lived in Uganda since then.
During Ngobi's years in political exile, I was practising as a solicitor in London and I was in close contact with him. With time he became a firm and valued friend.
The death of such a prominent person would have received wide publicity, at any rate in Uganda.
I trust this letter will serve to put the record straight.
Wanume Kibedi
Legal Consultant
For several years, Ngobi served as the minister for agriculture in the Obote 1 government. He was one of the five ministers who were arrested on February 23, 1966, as they attended a cabinet meeting at Entebbe.
The others were Grace Ibingira (RIP), Dr. Lumu, Balaki Kirya (RIP) and George Magezi (RIP). The five were only released in 1971, after the overthrow of Obote‘s first government.
Ngobi also served as minister for agriculture between 1979 and 1980 in Binaisa's government.
Later, he was made minister of state for presidential affairs. He fled to the UK in February 1981, where he remained in exile until August 1985, when he returned after the overthrow of the Obote II government. He has lived in Uganda since then.
During Ngobi's years in political exile, I was practising as a solicitor in London and I was in close contact with him. With time he became a firm and valued friend.
The death of such a prominent person would have received wide publicity, at any rate in Uganda.
I trust this letter will serve to put the record straight.
Wanume Kibedi
Legal Consultant