Epelu should have been given official burial, Teso leaders say

Politicians from Teso have criticised the government for not according Prof Opio Epelu, who they said restored peace in the sub-region in the late 1980s and early 1990s, an official burial.

Epelu, the former chairperson of the Teso Peace Commission, died at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala last week where he had been undergoing treatment.

The Teso Peace Commission was appointed by the National Resistance Army (NRA) to talk to the Uganda People’s Army (UPA) to surrender.

Addressing mourners during Epelu’s burial at his home in Soroti on Sunday, Kasilo County MP Elijah Okupa said the government, without doubt, should have given Epelu an official send-off.

“The late deserved an official burial. Some of the leaders like Mr Musa Ecweru [the State minister for Works] would not be in existence because of the insurgency that the late fought tooth and nail to end,” he said. 

Soroti West MP Jonathan Ebwalu said President Museveni is not being fair and asked him to distribute services equally.

“We are not happy that our Teso people are not given an official burial and yet others have been acknowledged,” Mr Ebwalu said.

He added that Epelu, together with the late Bishop Geresem Ilukor and others, risked their lives to convince the UPA rebels to surrender.

The rebels had taken up arms following unsupported claims that the NRA government was conspiring with the Karimojong to raid cattle from Teso.

“Professor deserved to be recognised both while alive and during his demise, that has not been done,” Mr Ebwalu said.

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party president, Mr Patrick Oboi Amuriat, said circumstances at the time warranted the people of Teso to take up arms.

He thanked Minister Ecweru for the role he played in the rebellion.
“Those in leadership should ask the President to fulfill his pledges that he made to the people of Teso or else they will not stop asking him,” Mr Amuriat said.

The Kumam cultural leader, Mr Rafael Otaya, said because of Epelu’s efforts, many people, who fled the fighting and ended up in internally displaced people’s camps, were able to return to their homes.

Mr Otaya said many recovery projects were introduced through humanitarian agencies to help the Iteso transition from living in camps to returning home.

“That happened because of the good deeds of Prof Epelu,” he said.   
Minister Ecweru said during the insurgency, the people of Teso took up arms against the government because they were provoked but not because they wanted to take over the government. 

“I come to mourn a hero who risked his life. They could have harmed him but he survived. The beauty is that he has died when there is peace,” Mr Ecweru said.  

The President contributed Shs30m towards the burial.
State minister for Fisheries Hellen Adoa asked the leaders to always check on the people, especially elders, and not wait until they die to show up.

She asked Epelu’s widow to write a letter seeking support from the government to forge a way forward. 

Ms Adoa asked the children of the late Epelu to continue supporting the people of Ocokican where their father grew up.

“May the death of your father make you come back and support the people of Ocokican to rest his soul in peace,” she said.

Who was Prof Epelu 

Prof Opio Epelu was born in 1944 in Gwetom, Soroti District. He married Gladys Ikadema Ekirapa in 1972. 
In February 1973, he was appointed a lecturer at Makerere University. 
He completed his PhD in Veterinary Anatomy in 1976. 

Epelu also worked as a senior scientific officer in Lusaka, Zambia, from 1977 to 1982. 

He was promoted to senior lecturer and then associate professor at Makerere University between 1982 and 1985. 

He also served as head of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy from 1985 to 1990 at Makerere.
He later became a professor and then deputy vice chancellor.

Epelu authored a book titled Teso War 1986-1992 causes and Consequences.
He also served on several boards and was a member of numerous organisations.