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Army extends olive branch to fugitive musician Bosmic
Mr William Otim, alias Bosmic Otim, who is on the run over alleged gun possession. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Mr Otim has since April been on the run after security agencies said they were hunting for him over illegal gun possession.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have asked fugitive Gulu artiste Bosmic Otim to return home, saying he has been forgiven.
Mr Otim has since April been on the run after the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and the Uganda Police said they were hunting for him over illegal gun possession.
But UPDF now says they have forgiven Mr Otim and his safety will be guaranteed when he returns home.
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Brig Bonny Bamwiseki, the commander of the UPDF 4th Division headquartered in Gulu City, said they have given Mr Otim amnesty.
UPDF speaks
“Tell him to come back, call him, tell him to come back this is our home, no one will harass him again. So let the public not scare him that because they saw him carrying a gun that means treason, because so many people in public out there are hiding guns,” Brig Bamwiseki said in an interview at the weekend.
Mr Otim’s trouble started three days after the death of late former Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah. In a song, Mr Otim questioned the death of Oulanyah and urged the public to rise up and save the remaining sons and daughters of Acholi, whom he claimed were drying mysteriously while serving the government.
Mr Otim has since April been on the run after security agencies said they were hunting for him over illegal gun possession.
At the burial of Oulanyah, a security directive was issued to officers to arrest Otim on sight amid fears that he could turn up and cause unnecessary drama. On realising that he was a wanted man, Mr Otim reportedly sought refuge in South Sudan.
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However, currently it is not clear whether he is still hiding in South Sudan or has relocated to another country.
But Brig Bamwiseki at the weekend said fighting is not the solution.
“We can give amnesty, we have seen many people with guns, there is no problem when he comes back, and we are ready to welcome him because we don’t want that chaos of fighting, using a gun is not a solution, look at Ukraine and Russia right now, what if they dialogued?”
OTIM’S CONTROVERSIES
Before the UPDF intervention, Bosmic Otim had been posting pictures and video recordings on social media while posing with different types of guns and clad in military fatigues. In the first video recording, the musician is seen holding an AK47 assault rifle while threatening to carry out revenge on people he alleges are used to kill Acholi.
The recordings sparked controversy over the source of the military fatigues and guns.
Otim had earlier been a vibrant mobiliser of the People Power movement turned into NUP party, in Acholi before the 2021 General Election. However, he fell out with the pressure group alleging that leadership was never supportive to his struggles in the sub-region. However, he also later disowned the NRM.
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