Lango receives body of their son Engola

It was all gloom and grief yesterday as the body of the late State minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col (Rtd) Charles Okello Engola,  landed at Lira airfield  in Lira District.
Pte Wilson Sabiiti, who was Engola’s personal bodyguard, shot the Oyam North Member of Parliament dead before taking his own life on May 2.  
A postmortem revealed that Engola, popularly known as Macodwogo, was shot 28 times. 
Mr Sam Engola, the former State minister for Urban Development, said his cousin was murdered in cold blood.

“The deceased’s Personal Assistant (Aide De Camp), Lt Ronald Otim, who is still hospitalised up to now was shot seven [times],” Mr Engola, who is also the former MP for Erute South County in Lira District, told a regional council meeting in honour of the fallen giant tree of Lango in Oyam Town yesterday.
“If they open the casket and you see his body, he has 28 bullet [wounds] on him. So, he died in the most painful way as if he had never been a soldier who fought all the wars in Uganda. But he died in front of his house, with a pistol in his hand,” he said.

According to the Otikokin clan leader, God could have started preparing his deputy to go to heaven a few days before he met his fate. 

Late last month, Sam Engola recalled that he together with the late Engola journeyed to Ntungamo District for the burial of their friend’s mother.
“I think God was sending the late Colonel to heaven because in that church, there were 19 bishops from across the country, including the Archbishop, who was leading the prayer,” he said. 
“It seems he was saying bye-bye because even in that area he did not speak in English, but in Leb Lango, and all the mourners attending the funeral service were wondering what he was saying because there was no translator.” 
The deceased left behind five children and 19 grandchildren.

Peace maker
Mr Nommy Otyeno, the speaker for Oyam District, described Engola as a great hero who played a big role in ensuring peace and stability thrived in northern Uganda.
“We are, therefore, appealing to the government of Uganda under the able leadership of President Museveni to consider investigating the cause and abrupt death of many top army officers and top government officials,” Mr Otyeno said. 

“Because as a matter of fact, this [killing of Engola] is highly threatening, this is highly discouraging and this is highly demotivating for us junior staff that are yet to rise in the ranks. We are so anguished, unhappy for the unreasonable death of our people,” he added.
Mr George Okello Ayo, the mayor of Lira City East Division, questioned the integrity of some soldiers.

“Yes, there is a disciplined army in this country, but I have noted three things. One, we have children from indiscipline families in the army and that you don’t blame it on the army,” he said.
“There are soldiers who sit together under a drinking joint and drink, and when drunk, they can pick any gun and kill. And lastly, we have people who have not been paid well and as a leader, I want to request the government to increase the employees’ salary,” Mr Okello added.
The mayor of Lira City, Mr Sam Atul, said the nine district councils in Lango need to investigate why the region is losing the fight against corruption that the late Engola stood for. 

“The programme neno abor (looking into the future) was his idea on Unity FM where I was a station manager and his dream was to drive away poverty in our region,” Mr Atul said.
“But we are not moving as councils. We need to investigate why we cannot move forward [on development] as a region,” he added. 
Meanwhile, business came to a standstill in Lira City after the body of the slain minister landed at Lira airfield yesterday morning. Shortly after locals saw a chopper flying low in circles, indicating the son of the soil’s body had arrived,  they rushed to the airfield.
In the city centre, hundreds of mourners also closed shops and ran to the airfield to receive the soldier-cum-politician.  

As soon as the chopper touched the ground at about 10:30am, there was already a massive security breach as mourners poured into the airfield. 
Dozens of boda boda riders stood on their motorcycles, while other mourners climbed anthills and trees to view the UPDF chopper.
“Even if the killer is dead, God must punish him for taking the life of our brother,” a woman said as she ran towards two heavily armed soldiers who were guarding the airfield.
A long queue of people lined up from the airfield, which is about 1.5 kilometres from the heart of Lira City, waiting to catch a glimpse of the casket containing the body of Engola. However, this dream did not come true as the body was taken away by the UPDF chopper to Oyam Town where councillors paid their last respects.

The late Egola joins a list of famous people in Lango whose remains were received with a heroic welcome and affection. The most prominent being the former president Apollo Milton Obote that saw thousands of people gather to escort his casket from Lira to his Akokoro home village in Apac District.
Rev Canon Jacky Milton Otto Olima, the Archdeacon of Lira Urban West Archdeaconry, told mourners that Engola’s soul is resting in Heaven.