Acholi names "Tolit, Todwong" and the death of Dr Obonyo

By Sam Akaki Ayumu

It was a tragic, but perfect setting for a perfect murder conspiracy theory - a prominent medical doctor cum politician going home in a hired car, bust tire and all except the hired driver and two children are dead at place called St Thomas More, (Ex-minister killed in car crash with family, New Vision, January 3, 2016).

Like the prominent British statesman Thomas More, who was executed for treason against King Henry V111 in July 1535; Henry Obonyo was also allegedly the victim of an execution-style murder by the state, or his former colleagues in the rebel outfit he had reportedly led, according to the conspiracy theorists.

It was his alleged rebel activities, which had kept him out of the country for almost 30 years. When the "hit men" finally struck, Dr Obonyo's wife and two grownup daughters, who were in the same car, became collateral damages.

Plausible, but what utter and complete rubbish born of a fertile, but futile imagination, some may say!

Yet Dr Obonyo and his family died because of a grand conspiracy - conceived, planned and executed, with precision, by a criminal syndicate of corrupt officials responsible for road safety in our beloved country - the traffic police, road construction and maintenance officials and vehicle licensing authorities.

For a kickback, the conspirators in Obonyo's death were same people who had caused the death of Bukomansimbi Woman MP, Susan Namaganda on December 15, 2015, Tooro businessman, Crescent Baguma on December 18, 2015, former Attorney General Francis Ayume on May 18, 2004, former Vice-President, Brigadier Wilson Toko, on August 18, 2002 , my cousin Chris Akena on May 7, 2013 and thousands of other Ugandans including school children, who are perishing in road accidents every day.

About a decade ago, my friend and former next-door neighbour on Kyoga Avenue, Soroti, the former deputy Governor of Uganda, Mzee Robert Elangot also lost his wife Immaculate, who was Director of Nursing, to the same serial conspirators.

Only Acholi names can describe the pain of eternal grief, which will torment the Obonyo, Akena, Elangot and millions of other Ugandan families that have lost and will continue to lose their loved ones to conspirators, who have turned our roads into national death traps. Listen to some of the names:

Otto or Ato (a boy or girl born after many deaths in the family); Tolit (death is painful); Torach (death is bad); Todwong (death is big) and most revealingly, Pacoto (home is dead!). This last name should resonate with every Ugandan who has lost their bread-winner to the mostly avoidable daily massacres - yes- road accidents constitute massacres by virtue of the appalling number and frequency!  

But the "usual suspects" are not always the only suspects in any major crime. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) General Edward Kalekezi Kayihura should also be a suspect in the road massacres because the death toll has been steadily increasing since he became [the] IGP, despite the creation of "Crime Preventers".

Religious leaders, who lead the requiem mass and other funeral functions for read accident victims without linking the deaths to corruption and condemning the practice, are also conspirators in the massacres, not only on earth but also before the highest authority of all - God Himself.

But the most conspicuous conspirators are our politicians, especially the presidential candidates, who are promising to turn Uganda into a new-age Garden of Eden where milk and honey will ooze from the sky and roads paved with gold!  But the roads are already paved the blood of car accidents victims and our presidential candidates have no clear policy on tackling this national tragedy.
Take for example, President Museveni's promise to "take Uganda to modernity through jobs creation and inclusive development", Amama Mbabazi's "Go forward within the NRM" but with the help of the opposition and Kizza Besigye's promise of "defiance".  These promises mean little to a voter facing a real and present danger of death on the road any day.  Why?

In May 2011, the UN launched its "decade for action" on road safety to cut the 1.3 million deaths on the road each year. Speaking at the event, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Director General Margaret Chan said "Road traffic accidents kill more people around the world than malaria every day, and the majority of the victims are people in developing countries.

The economic consequences of road accidents are also significant: car crashes cost the world more than $500b each year". http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/may/11/most-dangerous-roads

In other words, the WHO chief was inadvertently endorsing Acholi people's grief-laden names Tolit (death is painful); Torach (death is bad); Todowng (death is big); and  Pacoto (home is dead!).

But how many more Ugandans at home like the former Bukomansimbi Woman MP, Susan Namaganda, or those living abroad like Dr Obonyo must be killed by criminal conspirators before our politicians recognise the unsustainable human and economic cost of road accidents?

When will some MP introduce a "Susan Namaganda Bill" in Parliament aimed at posthumously honouring the fallen legislator and curbing road accidents in Uganda?

The writer is the former FDC international envoy to the UK and European Union, also former Parliamentary Candidate in the UK, now executive director — Africa-European relations.