Acholi leaders mourn Otto’s father

Gulu. Leaders in Acholi sub-region are mourning the passing of James Otto, a renowned human rights activist also the father of Aruu South County MP Odonga Otto.
Mzee Otto, 71, succumbed to kidney failure at Kirudu Hospital in Kampala on Friday morning.
Mr Odonga Otto confirmed the death of his father in social media post on Friday. “My father, James Otto, died this morning at 5.20am at Kiruddu hospital [in Kampala].”
Mzee Otto was a key pillar in the formation in 1994 of Human Rights Focus (HURIFO); a Gulu- based NGO with a country-wide mandate.
He was secretary general at the organisation and later became its first executive director before retiring in 2010.
He was also known for his head-on approaches on matters of human rights, especially during the conflict in northern Uganda. The late was also a member of the board of Action Aid Uganda.
In Gulu District and the Acholi Sub-region where Mzee Otto has worked to promote human rights, the news of his demise was received with shock.
The HURIFO executive director, Mr Francis Odongyoo, who succeeded Mzee Otto, described him as a committed human rights activist who fought injustice in the region.
“Mzee Otto was passionate about respect of rights of everyone. He never feared to criticize any human right offender irrespective of their standing in society,” Mr Odongyoo told Sunday Monitor in an interview Friday.
The Gulu District Council Chairperson, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, also the chairperson of Acholi sub-region chairpersons, said the region has lost a human rights defender who stood firm even amid intimidation.
“During the insurgencies, the late Otto stood firm in defending the rights of the locals, he received numerous threats but he never gave up,” Mr Mapenduzi said.
On his part, the Nwoya County MP, Mr Simon Oyet, said the candle of human rights defence has burn out, but added that Mzee Otto’s efforts as a human rights activists are recognised all over north and his legacy would never die.
“Many have been able to attain their rights that were being abused by State agencies through his active defence of their rights,”
Acholi prime minister Ambrose Oola said the Acholi chiefdom was saddened by the death of one of their great men who has been influential in areas of human rights and peace building.
“As Acholi chiefdom, we send our condolence message to the family of Mr Otto, we are with them at this trying moment,” Mr Oola said.
Mzee Otto leaves behind eight children and a widow.

Programme
Born: Otto was born August 25, 1945
September 25 -26: Vigil at his residence in Namasuba, off Entebbe Road
Tuesday: Requiem Mass at Christ the King Church, Kampala, beginning at 9am. Thereafter the body leaves for Gulu.
Wednesday: Requiem Mass at Holy Rosary Parish, Gulu, beginning 9am. Thereafter, body leaves for his ancestral home in Ogom Sub-county, Pader District.
Thursday: Mass at 10am and burial at 2pm.

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