How Museveni and Otunnu fell out
Jan 01, 2010
PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Olara Otunnu studied with President Yoweri Museveni’s sister, Violet Kajubiri, at Makerere University in the early 1970s. Despite hearing a lot about Museveni from Kajubiri, Otunnu did not meet him until 1979.
By Vision Reporter
PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Olara Otunnu studied with President Yoweri Museveni’s sister, Violet Kajubiri, at Makerere University in the early 1970s. Despite hearing a lot about Museveni from Kajubiri, Otunnu did not meet him until 1979.
Then, various political groups had converged for a meeting in Moshi, Tanzania, to discuss Uganda’s political future after the overthrow of former dictator, Idi Amin.
In an interview with the Weekly Observer two years ago, Otunnu said at the Moshi Conference, his impression was that he and Museveni were of similar political thinking.
After Amin was overthrown, Otunnu remained with the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party. Museveni, who had been a UPC member in the 1960s, formed his own party, the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM).
When the UPC government came to power after the disputed 1980 elections, Museveni went to the bush and launched a guerilla war, while Otunnu served as Uganda’s representative to the United Nations.
In July 1985, army commander Tito Okello overthrew Obote in a military coup and appointed Olara Otunnu Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many had hoped that Museveni’s guerilla war would end after Obote was toppled, but that was not to be.
Several months of talking peace led Museveni to the signing of a peace agreement with the new regime. However, Museveni accused the Okello regime of flouting the agreement by continuing to kill innocent Ugandans.
So, the NRA marched on and captured Kampala in January, 1986, sending the entire Okello regime leaders, including Olara Otunnu, into exile.
While in exile, Otunnu held various positions and in 1996, he attempted to become the United Nations Secretary General. Despite being favoured by American news media on the basis of his diplomatic credentials, Otunnu could not succeed because he did not have the backing of the Ugandan government. His name was not on the final list of nominees from whom the Security Council selected the Secretary General. Eventually, Ghana’s Kofi Annan was selected. Many thought Otunnu had higher chances had his name been on the shortlist.
In 1997, Annan appointed Otunnu the Under-Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, a position he occupied till 2005. The statement announcing his appointment had initially indicated he was Ugandan but the UN released a correction later, indicating that he was a citizen of Ivory Coast.
Apparently, Otunnu had acquired an Ivory Coast citizenship, hoping that the government there would support him. Unfortunately, Ivory Coast fronted their own candidate, Amara Essy, whose ancestors were born and buried in the country.
In May, 2006, while touring mass graves where victims of the Luwero war were buried, Museveni reportedly told foreign diplomats that one of the people responsible for the killings was nearly appointed the UN Secretary General. “I talked to Nelson Mandela, and we blocked him. However, he was made Under-Secretary General.â€
In reply, Otunnu said throughout Obote’s regime, he was in New York working as Uganda’s representative to the UN and he did not set foot in Luwero. Instead, he blamed Museveni for the killings.
In 2007, George Piwang, a Ugandan resident in USA and brother to Archbishop Luke Orombi, initiated an effort to reconcile Otunnu and Museveni. Piwang proposed that to facilitate the reconciliation process, Otunnu stops accusing Museveni of carrying out ‘genocide against the people of northern Uganda’. Piwang’s initiative, however, failed.
The closest to reconciliation was this year when Otunnu returned to Uganda and he was issued with a passport.
Media reports indicate that initially, he feared that he might be arrested on return to Uganda. After talking to Government officials, Otunnu’s supporters assured him that it was safe. So he returned and started testing the political waters.
But being on the opposite sides of Ugandan politics, it is logical to expect more accusations and counter-accusations rather than solidarity between Otunnu and Museveni between now and the 2011 presidential elections.
PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Olara Otunnu studied with President Yoweri Museveni’s sister, Violet Kajubiri, at Makerere University in the early 1970s. Despite hearing a lot about Museveni from Kajubiri, Otunnu did not meet him until 1979.
Then, various political groups had converged for a meeting in Moshi, Tanzania, to discuss Uganda’s political future after the overthrow of former dictator, Idi Amin.
In an interview with the Weekly Observer two years ago, Otunnu said at the Moshi Conference, his impression was that he and Museveni were of similar political thinking.
After Amin was overthrown, Otunnu remained with the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party. Museveni, who had been a UPC member in the 1960s, formed his own party, the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM).
When the UPC government came to power after the disputed 1980 elections, Museveni went to the bush and launched a guerilla war, while Otunnu served as Uganda’s representative to the United Nations.
In July 1985, army commander Tito Okello overthrew Obote in a military coup and appointed Olara Otunnu Minister of Foreign Affairs. Many had hoped that Museveni’s guerilla war would end after Obote was toppled, but that was not to be.
Several months of talking peace led Museveni to the signing of a peace agreement with the new regime. However, Museveni accused the Okello regime of flouting the agreement by continuing to kill innocent Ugandans.
So, the NRA marched on and captured Kampala in January, 1986, sending the entire Okello regime leaders, including Olara Otunnu, into exile.
While in exile, Otunnu held various positions and in 1996, he attempted to become the United Nations Secretary General. Despite being favoured by American news media on the basis of his diplomatic credentials, Otunnu could not succeed because he did not have the backing of the Ugandan government. His name was not on the final list of nominees from whom the Security Council selected the Secretary General. Eventually, Ghana’s Kofi Annan was selected. Many thought Otunnu had higher chances had his name been on the shortlist.
In 1997, Annan appointed Otunnu the Under-Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, a position he occupied till 2005. The statement announcing his appointment had initially indicated he was Ugandan but the UN released a correction later, indicating that he was a citizen of Ivory Coast.
Apparently, Otunnu had acquired an Ivory Coast citizenship, hoping that the government there would support him. Unfortunately, Ivory Coast fronted their own candidate, Amara Essy, whose ancestors were born and buried in the country.
In May, 2006, while touring mass graves where victims of the Luwero war were buried, Museveni reportedly told foreign diplomats that one of the people responsible for the killings was nearly appointed the UN Secretary General. “I talked to Nelson Mandela, and we blocked him. However, he was made Under-Secretary General.â€
In reply, Otunnu said throughout Obote’s regime, he was in New York working as Uganda’s representative to the UN and he did not set foot in Luwero. Instead, he blamed Museveni for the killings.
In 2007, George Piwang, a Ugandan resident in USA and brother to Archbishop Luke Orombi, initiated an effort to reconcile Otunnu and Museveni. Piwang proposed that to facilitate the reconciliation process, Otunnu stops accusing Museveni of carrying out ‘genocide against the people of northern Uganda’. Piwang’s initiative, however, failed.
The closest to reconciliation was this year when Otunnu returned to Uganda and he was issued with a passport.
Media reports indicate that initially, he feared that he might be arrested on return to Uganda. After talking to Government officials, Otunnu’s supporters assured him that it was safe. So he returned and started testing the political waters.
But being on the opposite sides of Ugandan politics, it is logical to expect more accusations and counter-accusations rather than solidarity between Otunnu and Museveni between now and the 2011 presidential elections.