Koffi

 

President

 

Most

 

Extracts

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PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT TO THE NATION ON PROGRESS OF THE COVID-19 RESPONSE

Date: 22nd September 2021

Dear Countrymen and Countrywomen,

Since my last address to you on the 30th of July 2021, the COVID-19 transmission rates in the country have continued to decline. Despite this, some districts continue to show higher transmission rates and are considered hotspot districts. This persistent transmission is in the following 9 districts namely: Kampala, Kalungu, Kabale, Kumi, Soroti, Tororo, Gulu, Nwoya and Yumbe.

The daily average number of confirmed cases over the last one month has declined and stabilized at 124 cases countrywide, from an average of 1,445 cases at the peak of the second wave in June 2021. Similarly, the daily average number of deaths has declined to 6 from 57 deaths at the height of the peak of the second wave.

As of 22nd September 2021, the country has registered 122,502 confirmed cases and 3,135 deaths. Additionally, the current admissions stand at 340 in both public and

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private facilities (272 in public, 66 in prisons and only 2 in the private facilities), of whom 144 (38%) are in the severe and critical category.

Epidemic curve showing COVID-19 cases (March 2020 – September 2021)

Following the previous wave, the current national COVID-19 response strategy now focuses on the following interventions:

1. COVID-19 Vaccination

Government continues to carry out extensive mobilization of COVID-19 vaccines and by the end of December 2021, we expect about 12 million doses as shown below:

Table 1: Vaccine arrival forecast Sept-December 2021

Source of Vaccine

Type of Vaccine

Quantity

Status

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USA

Pfizer

1,647,000

Received - 20 September 2021

USA

Moderna

647,000

Received – 6 September 2021

France

AstraZeneca

501,000

22 September 2021

Belgium

AstraZeneca

344,900

22 September 2021

China

Sinovac

700,000

30 September,2021

USA

Pfizer

3,488,940

End of October, 2021

GoU

Johnson & Johnson

1,200,000

End of October 2021

GoU

Sinopharm

2,000,000

End of September 2021

COVAX

AstraZeneca

1,000,000

Mid October 2021

Ireland

AstraZeneca

350,000

Mid October 2021

Belgium

Johnson & Johnson

100,000

End of November 2021

Total

11,978,840

As of now, we have 2,294,000 doses of vaccines available at the National Medical Stores (NMS) out of 11,978,840 million doses expected by end of December 2021.

In regards to the vaccination strategy, the following are being undertaken:

i. Scaling up vaccination for all the eligible Ugandans aged 18 years and above (approx. 22 m)

ii. Prioritizing the vaccination of the 4.8 million priority population: health workers, teachers, security personnel, elderly persons of 50 years and above, those below 50 years with comorbidities and 330,000 students in post-secondary institutions aged 18 years and above.

Therefore, I now direct with immediate effect that, all RDCs, CAOs and DHOs must carry out intensive

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mobilization for all eligible priority groups to go for vaccination. They should, in addition, ensure that no vaccines are wasted or left to expire. In any district where vaccines expire, the RDC, CAO and DHO will be dismissed.

2. Surveillance

In order to prevent the third wave and importation or emergence of new variants in the country, I direct the Ministry of Health to:

i. Enhance surveillance at the airport and all the 53 land ports of entry. Government will establish testing facilities at the airport and all land border points of entry. In the interim (not more than 2 weeks), the private laboratories will continue to test the incoming travellers.

ii. The UPDF and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will support the Ministry of Health to complete the modifications necessary for installation of the testing facilities and to carry out the surveillance processes.

iii. Carry out regular and systematic genomic sequencing to detect any new variants (locally emerging and imported)

iv. Work with Ministry of Education and Sports to support head teachers to carry out surveillance and early reporting of suspected cases in schools to the District and City Task Forces once the schools open

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v. Follow up the use of Rapid Antigen Self-tests with World Health Organization (WHO), and once approved, inform the Ministry of Education and Sports to consider their use in schools

3. Safe re-opening of sectors under lock down

For safe lifting of restrictions, the National Task Force usually considers a number of factors such as; risk of transmission in that sector, vulnerability of individuals and the overall economic impact. This is further guided by the following:

i. Scientific evidence based approach for safe and sustainable reopening in a phased manner

ii. Enforcement of the SOPs by the sector in line with the COVID-19 Statutory Instrument

iii. Increased awareness by the sector of the risks and adherence to SOPs

I am aware of the limitations of the current Public Health Act. Cabinet will fast track its amendment to facilitate the enforcement of SOPs and include among others, the on-spot and court fines of those who fail to adhere to SOPs.

In this regard, the National Task Force has reviewed the sectors that were pending lifting of restrictions and I now direct as follows:

a) Places of Worship:

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The places of worship can now open under the following conditions:

• Limit the number of worshippers at any one time to not more than 200 provided the place of worship can ensure physical distancing of 2 meters on either side and adequate aeration.

• There must be strict adherence to all SOPs at all times i.e. hand washing/ use of alcohol based sanitizer, temperature monitoring, and consistent wearing of face masks by all congregants including the choir and preachers.

• No congregation for worship after curfew hours

• The 200-persons-limit, physical distancing and all other SOPs should be respected even during special occasions e.g. weddings, funeral services, confirmation etc

• Partner with Government to communicate and mobilize the population for vaccination and other control measures

b. Weddings, Burials and other social events:

The number of persons attending these events can now increase to 200 under strict observance of SOPs

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c. Casinos, Gaming, Betting shops and Gyms:

• The casinos, gaming, betting shops and gyms can now operate during the day and close by 6:00pm.

• The various local governments, Cities and Kampala Capital City Authority, working with the National Gaming and Lottery Board MUST inspect the various betting outlets for suitability and adherence to SoPs before opening.

d. Concerts, disco halls, performing artists and beaches

These tend to congregate large numbers and are difficult to control. With the level of vaccination still low, I direct that these remain closed until at least the 4.8 million priority population is vaccinated.

e. Bars

Bars are a high risk area where individuals have no sobriety to observe the SOPs. They will be considered for re-opening when the 4.8 million priority population is vaccinated.

f. Cinemas and Bibanda (Local Cinema Halls)

These should remain closed as the local cinema halls are areas of immense crowding and mostly have poor

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aeration and are designed to have artificial ventilation systems.

g. Curfew

Restriction of movement of persons at the night time is key to the enforcement of other preventive health measures. Curfew remains at 7:00pm – 5:30am. Boda bodas should stop movement at 6:00pm.

h. Weekly markets

These are open door settings and currently transmission rates are low in some areas. These can be opened with strict adherence to SOPs and the curfew hours except for current hotspot districts (Soroti, Kampala, Kalungu, Kabale, Kumi, Tororo, Gulu, Nwoya and Yumbe). The RDCs, RPCs, DPCs, DISOs, GISOs should enforce adherence to SOPs.

The Minister for Health should follow up the hotspot districts and review their situation for safe re-opening of the weekly markets after two weeks.

i. Reopening of schools:

Infections in children below 18 years are often mild and they recover quickly. However, many of the 15 million learners are day scholars who once infected, go back

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home and infect their parents and grandparents that may subsequently die. This was observed during the second wave.

To avoid a similar scenario, the National Task Force, on several occasions considered conditions for safe re-opening of schools which included; vaccination of teachers, non-teaching staff, 330,000 students aged 18 years and above, plus all the other priority population, This was in addition to the rate of transmission in the country.

To-date, out of the targeted 550,000 teachers, 269,945 have already received the 1st dose of vaccination while 96,653 have received the second dose. This leaves a total of 280,055 not yet vaccinated at all.

Table 2: Vaccination Status of the 4.8 million priority population to-date Category Target 1st dose 2nd dose Unvaccinated 1st dose Unvaccinated 2nd dose

Teachers

550,000

269,945 (49%)

96,653 (17.6%)

280,055

453,347

50yrs+

3,348,500

309,592 (9.2%)

135,799 (4.1%)

3,038,908

3,212,701

Comorbidities

500,000

27,698 (5.5%)

10,347 (2.1%)

472,302

489,653

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Health workers

150,000

112,129 (74.8%)

56,687 (37.8%)

37,871

93,313

Security

250,000

145,389 (58.2%)

48,493 (19.4%)

104,611

201,507

Total

3,933,747

4,450,521

I, now, direct as follows:

a. Post-Secondary institutions of learning to open with effect from 1st November 2021 on condition that; all teachers and non-teaching staff are vaccinated

b. The 330,000 students aged 18 years and above in post-secondary institutions should be vaccinated as soon as possible

c. The rest of the learning institutions will open in January 2022.

I call upon all teachers and support staff to get vaccinated as soon as possible to enable safe re-opening of schools.

4. Patient Care

Regarding patient care and the challenges observed in the second wave which were:

- High patient numbers

- Inadequate oxygen supply

- Insufficient bed capacity

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- High cost of care and holding of dead bodies by the private health facilities

I direct the Ministry of Health as follows;

• Fast track the installation of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants at National (1) and Regional Referral Hospitals (15) and the cryogenic plants at 3 designated regions

• Prepare selected district hospitals in hard-to-reach areas and islands as treatment centres to cater for patients that have challenges accessing Regional Referral Hospitals

• Strengthen Home Based Care (HBC) through refresher training of VHTs and equip them with the HBC Tool kits

• Work with the Ministry of Education and Sports to ensure that schools designate their sick bays with basic Infection, Prevention and Control materials for isolation of mildly sick children once schools open.

5. Strengthening decentralized response

The implementation of the preventive health measures is majorly carried out by the Local Governments. I therefore direct the Ministry of Local Government to ensure continuous functionality of the District and Sub-County Task Forces.

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The Ugandan health workers have done a commendable job since the start of the pandemic. I would like to commend them for the spirit of hard work and patriotism.

I thank you for listening.

For God and my Country

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni

22 September 2021

Hon Otto Odonga

MAJ. GEN. PAUL LOKECH, I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU.

By Hon. Odonga Otto

In the morning hours of Saturday  21st August 2021, a neighbour stood at my gate and told me, "Paul Lokech is dead".  I asked him, "which Lokech" and he replied, "your Paul Lokech you have been having battles with, the Deputy IGP".  I replied,  "I have enough of my own problems, keep me out of that kind of news". This was before the news broke on social media. About 10 minutes later, the news broke all over social media (Note: This is a long article and would advise that one reads it upto the end.  It has life lessons and calls for forgiveness for one to heal).

I have known Paul Lokech fairly well, for over 30 years. A bold, brave fighter who helped pacify Acholi land. I have had a lot of interpersonal contacts with him and  good momories fristly I am grateful that he saved my life at one point.

Secondly When i was arrested in amuru of Mhadavani sugar land takeover he called and said " acholi land shouldn't be taken forcefully, leaders should be talked to ,i will raise the matter in the Army High Command stay strong" 

Thirdly he called then deputy speaker Oulanyah Jacob and muted a plan that him and the  DS should talk to the President and i get some work "i cannot be wasted in defeat " he said ,an offer i remain eternally grateful though reluctant to take.

Albeit all the above the last elections of 2021 had this extracts penned down for a future book "otto my life story"

EPISODE 1:.

Around 2019/20,  I met Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech at a fundraising event at Archbishop Flyn S.S in Pader.  He had just been appointed to the airforce.  He gave lots of money at the fundraising, more than me the area MP at that time.  And that was good for the school, God bless him.  I later walked to him and asked,  "I hear you are not supporting me."  Then he replied, "this time alteast you are working".

Later on, in mid 2020, Paul Lokech openly fronted one Nurse called Christopher Komakech, his biological son, though passing off as his "adopted" son, to stand against me in the 2021 elections for MP Aruu County.  Chris was lucky to even land for campaigns in a helicopter as campaigns went on.  Lokech openly deployed both the army and police at will to aid his son's campaign bid and had guns at his disposal.  During campaigns, the former DPC and former OC station of Pader were both replaced by Lokech who brought his right handed men Ramathan Tai as DPC and Enock Musiime as OC station respectively.  Lokech was splashing out money in the name of presidential campigns but used it for his son as well.  Two weeks to the polls, while I was from a rally in Awere, I was rounded up by police headed by Lokech's blue eyed boys,  DPC Ramathan Tai and Enock Musiime OC station.

It was that evening, on Awere road, that DPC Ramathan Tai drew a pistol at me and said, "if you move, I will shoot.  Why are you driving past Covid time?"  I replied, "hey, your gun is cocked and besides, I have ended my rallies, I am going home."  "You are under arrest," said Ramathan Tai just like that.  Paul Lokech who knew I was going to win the race, opted for  plan B. Arrest Hon. Otto, humiliate him and break down his support.  The DPC and OC Station were  ordered accordingly.  The OC station Enock Musiime, a very nice and composed guy, got into my car as we drove in a convoy towards Pader town.

I told Enock, Chris is having a disco dance at his campaign ground (we could hear the music) why not go and arrest them as well?  Enock said, "it was an order from above".  The "above" was Paul Lokech obviously.

As we approached Rackoko trading center, running battles begun with youth protesting my arrest by police. Gunshots were fired.

Since it was dark and in fear for my life, I took off to the nearest bush abondoning my car at the roadside.

In less than 3 minutes after the scuffle,  the police in Kampala  issued a statement that I was under arrest.  I read the statement from my phone while in the bush. Paul Lokech was at work.  I then tweeted, "unless you arrested a ghost of Hon. Otto."  I walked for almost 10 kms in the bush in the dark as though I was fleeing from Kony rebels.  I was later ridden on a boda for over 50kms upto Gulu town, arriving at 5 am in the morning.  I had become a fugitive in my own Country (since police was hunting for me) yet I was a candidate on a campaign trail. I fled to Bungatira in Aswa and stayed indoors with a friend for 3 days.  My phones were off since I knew I was being tracked.  I would send my friend to Gulu town to gauge the mood. No information was flowing. Lokech and team had partially achieved their objective by driving me off the campaign trial.  Then I decided to shift from Aswa in Gulu to Kitgum after a week of hidding.  I used a hired car since my car was towed to Pader police station.  Meanwhile, all my campaign meetings were cancelled.  My opponents' camp ochestrated a story that I was shot by UPDF in the chest as I fled to South  Sudan.  And that, voting for me would be voting for a dead man since I was ailing and bleeding and the EC had declared any vote for me as invalid.  Remember this is an illiterate populace who believe any lie.  I then called a meeting of my agents at a secret location in  Kitgum. We had to discuss and find a way forward.  I was already questioning myself; did I make a mistake to escape?YES and NO.  Should I turn myself in?  What if I was shot on the night of the botched arrest? Did I do a good thing to flee?  The answers were battling in my head in equal proportion.

Eventually, we agreed with my agents after a vote, that I return to the campaign trail.  It was 5 days to the end of the campaigns.  I had been off campaigns for a whole week.  I then told my Agents to mobilize my supporters in my home area called Ogom on the day I was to  come out of hidding to escort me to the meeting venue.   I took a boda from Kitgum to Pader to go join my people.  I  stayed in the bush in Pader, 1 km away from where my people had gathered.  I then joined them amidst tears of joy as we drove accross the constituency for people to just see me.  There was no time for rallies with 3 days to  the end of campaigns.  In one rally in Odum, the people said I should remove my  shirt and they see if there were bullet wounds.  Imagine!   The campaign had degenerated to that level.  I actually complied and showed them that there was no bullet wound.  That is when I realised that I had no time to prove to all voters in such a manner that I was alive and well.  My ratings had gone down during that one week of absence.  My Agents fled their homes since they were being threatened that they would  be arrested.  Some police men were moving around with a list containing the names of all my Agents and visited their homes looking for them. On polling day, as always, I am an Agent at the 5th Divison army headquarters in Kilak to monitor the polling.  I arrived there at 6 am.  As I was briefing my agents, I was informed by my supporters that soldiers were coming to arrest me on orders of Paul Lokech.  I confirmed that from reliable sources.  I immediately got into my car and indeed the soldiers came in a landcruiser. Trust what a benz can do. I drove at breakneck speed upto  Pader town from corner Kilak.  I then called my wife Julie to be by the road side in Pader town as I approached the town.  I knew I had saved 7 minutes from the car chase.  I told my wife to drive the car to the polling station in the middle of  Pader town and I fled back to the nearest bush.  The soldiers approached her in a terrific speed, jumped out and found Hon. Otto not there.

I fled to my home village near Pader town and stayed in the bush like a rebel even on voting day.   My philosophy was that, if I am arrested on polling day, that would mark the end of my bid since it would send shock waves to my agents and they would flee.  Phone calls kept coming in, how money was being distributed by people guarded by police.  It was open bribery protected by Law enforcers.  They gave 10.000/= each to  random voters near the polling stations and 50.000/=   each to influential voters.  Most of my agents were chased from the polling area and told to stand outside the  EC demarcation, at about 30 meters away, where they could not monitor the verification  of voters  or even seeing how many ballot papers were being issued to every voter.  And if they tried to complain, the police constables (under orders from above) would shut them down and say, "we do not want 'kelele' here, just keep quiet".  There was nothing much I could do to shield my Agents from harassment and intimidation   since I was in the bush literally the whole day as people voted.  I tried to coordinate on phone but it was not as effective as it would have been if I was free and moving around from polling station to polling station to resolve the harassment issue. At around 3: 30pm,  I remembered that I had to vote and time was running out since EC deadline was 4pm to be in the voting line.  The dilemma was that my polling station was surrounded by armed men waiting to arrest me.  My polling station was about 2kms away from my hiding bush.  My Agents got me a boda guy who arrived late where I was.  The boda took me to the polling station and I arrived 1min past 4pm.  Luckily enough, the soldiers had left.  Then there was a debate as to whether I should be allowed to vote or not. The EC officials then allowed me to vote after consultations.  I thank God I saved one vote and left immediately for the bush as I got info that the soldiers were returning  to arrest me.

I went back into hidding.  As polls closed, all the roads leading to the EC tally center were closed by soldiers in military uniform.  My wife, whom I asked to go to the tally center was blocked but later allowed to access the venue after consultations.

While at the tally center, the DPC Ramathan Tai walked straight to my wife and stated rudely, " Madam, am going to arrest you for not putting on a mask".  My wife who had put on a mask slightly below her nose, protested because almost every other person had no mask on or had one on the chin.  Nonetheless, she put on the mask correctly and then the DPC left her alone. I could not go to the tally centre as I used to. I remained in my hide out. 

Christopher Komakech was then declared the winner.

I took time off politics and accepted the loss.  Life had to continue.  Meanwhile, my car was still at Pader police station.

EPISODE 2 

On 19th January 2021, five days after elections had passed and calm was returning, I left Gulu for Pader in the company of my wife and driver. My itinerary was to go to Pader Police station and pick my vehicle,  generator and loudspeaker that were impounded during campaigns then go to my village home outside Pader town.   I arrived at Pader Police station at around midday and I was taken to the office of the  Deputy OC station since the DPC and OC were all out of station.  The Deputy OC charged me for breach of COVID regulations during my campaign rallies and  disobeying lawful orders from Police.  I was granted police bond.  I then asked for my vehicle.  The Deputy OC station consulted his superiors and eventually the Regional CID who ordered the vehicle to be given to me.  As I was in the parking lot trying to jump start the vehicle, to my surprise, a contrary order came from Paul Lokech through the same DPC,  Ramathan Tai and OC station Musiime Enock who arrived at the station and found me in my car. I was ordered rudely to get back inside the police station or they use force.  I was shocked.  I said, my God, the polls are over what is going on?  They forcefully turned off my car and walked me into the DPC's office and one policeman named Kalanzi of FFU showed up.  The DPC and OC started moving in and out of the office to go talk to the Deputy IGP Paul Lokech while pondering their next move.  The DPC and OC CID then summoned the Deputy OC station asking him why he had given me police bond? Then the Deputy OC station told them the Regional CID gave him the go ahead.  The DPC then summoned the OC Traffic who then told me they needed my driving permit and insurance of the car.   And said that the car had an express penalty ticket I had not paid 5 months ago so I was going to be charged for a separate traffic offence and that I required a separate police bond.  I told them I was already on police bond, I  can use it to report back as required to.   The OC Station told me they needed money for towing the vehicle, repair of the police vehicle stoned by angry youth when they confiscated my generator and money for wasting their time as they had planned to arrest me from Rachkoko but failed.  I was told the bill was 3 million shillings in total according to them.

Immediately, the DPC and OC CID walked out and I overheard the DPC talking to the Deputy IGP Lokech in the corridor saying, "yes sir, I will  detain him".  It was coming to 4pm since midday and no clear head way was being made.  My police bond was just a mere piece of paper as my freedom was curtailed and I couldn't leave the police station. At about 5pm, after drinking bottled uganda police labbelled water  in less than 30 minutes, I collapsed on the floor in the DPC's office and all I could remember was seeing a blurred image of RDC Dusman Okee, Norbert Mao's brother asking me if I could recognise him. I was then taken to Gulu Regional Referral hospital in an ambulance according to my wife's account.  From Gulu hospital, I woke up at about midnight and my wife told me police had cordoned off the hospital area and they were sitting outside next to my room window and others were opposite the entrance to the ward.  They wore civilian cloths.  In the morning, she told me that a policeman hurriedly opened the room door at around 2 am and was shocked to find her in the room from his tone. He asked her, "you mean you slept here?" It's like he had a plan to enter my room and probably inject me with more deadly substances.  The next day, I learnt that I was actually under police detention at the hospital inspite of having police bond papers in my pocket.  The Doctors  at Gulu Hospital recommended my referral to another hospital at around 11am and gave me my discharge and referral letter.  As I was leaving my hospital room to go to my car and leave for Kampala, the Gulu Police led by the OC station blocked us and even didn't even allow my car engine to be started.  I then laid on the open ground of Gulu Hospital from midday upto 6pm as the police wondered what to do next.  The former Leader of Opposition, Hon. Betty Aol Ochan and Hon. Gilbert Olanya came to the hospital and protested this police action.  Hon. Gilbert Olanya called the Deputy IGP protesting his orders.  Later, the former Leader of Opposition reached a settlement with the Gulu police that I be charged from Gulu and I sign a second police bond paper.  My life being the priority, I signed the police bond papers at 6 pm and the charge was "assault" of a person (I didn't know) during the FUFA drum football match in September 2019. After signing the bond, I was taken to Lacor Hospital and spent a second  night at the ICU there.  It was late to travel to Kampala   in that condition.  The next day, Lacor discharged me and gave me a referral.   I went straight to Nakasero Hospital in Kampala. After doing their assessment, they referred me to Nairobi.

From Nairobi hospital, I wrote down what happened to me on whatsup and stated that, "incase I do not make it, take this as a dying declaration that these people killed me." Such flagrant abuse of office and impunity by Paul Lokech and his boys should not be tolerated anywhere in Uganda." Nairobi, 26th January 2021.

EPISODE 3 

1000KMs IN HANDCUFFS:

I was in a  gym at bomah hotel at around 7am when I see the magnifient blue  glasses beaming with policemen in a single file.  I wondered.  I asked the gym attendant if this was routine but before I could get answers, I heard a voice saying, "Hon Otto, can we talk to you outside here?"

It was a kind police officer in his early 50s who had spoken.  Am I under arrest? I asked?  "Yes" he replied.   I gave in and off we went to Gulu regional police offices where we found CID Director Oluga, one of Lokech's right hand men waiting for me.

"We need your gun" Oluga said.  The police from CID headquarters Kibuli had travelled to Gulu with two double cabin pickups on orders of Paul Lokech to arrest a "mere" me.  Imagine such extravagant use of tax payers money to arrest an MP who could easily be summoned by the Speaker of Parliament as was standard practise. This was  post election witchhunt.  My firearm license was not renewed for the first time in 19 years. This reluctance to renew my licence happened when Lokech became the Deputy IGP.  What a coincidence!  Luckily enough, I had handed over the gun to Parliamentary police when the licence was about to expire for purposes of renewal. It was the normal practice for Parliamentary police to renew licences for MPs. 

On a separate occasion, my personal body guard assigned to me through Parliament was arrested during campaigns from my home in Gulu senior quarters still under Lokech's orders.  They sent soldiers who climbed my wall fence and took my escort to Gulu barracks. I have never got him back todate.  Back to the gym arrest episode.  I was hancuffed and sandwitched between two police officers in the back of a police double cabin pick up and left Gulu for Kla.  I asked the arresting officers whether they could remove the handcuffs as we travelled but they told me it was an order.  I travelled for 315 kms in handcuffs from Gulu to Kampala.  I wondered what they would do to Joseph Kony of LRA if a legislature could be treated that way.  We survived an accident around Masindi port.  I was imagining what would have happened if we had got the accident while I was in handcuffs.  We reached Kampala and I was offloaded at Jinja road  police station where I stayed for three days in the police cells.  No statement was taken from me, I was not presented to any Court, nothing.  That was Paul Lokech for you.  The Rt.Hon. Speaker, Rebbeca kadaga on her Speaker campaign trail in Munyonyo  made a statement that,  "if Otto is not charged or released,  I will camp at police."  This caused Paul Lokech and team to hurry and get me out of Jinja road police cell. After Kadaga's statement, the following day they handcuffed me and drove me back to Gulu, 320kms away from Kampala.  Why did they bring me to Kampala in the first place? I wondered.  Along the way at Karuma, I wanted to have a  call of nature.  The officer warned  me that they  do not want any scene.  I wanted them to remove the cuffs so that I ease myself.  That request was declined.  I cancelled the long call idea and settled for a short call. As I tried to ease myself with   handcuffs on, the  CID Director Oluga came to me 

and said, " you better leave Lokech's son alone if you want to be free.   You can contest another time. Leave the election petition."  I had just filled the election petition the same week I was arrested. Another strange coincidence. I looked at Oluga's face beaming with rage with those thick eyelashes. I stopped the short call half way and thought to myself,  if that is the issue, then the next thing would be to "shoot me and say I tried  to grab a gun".  The remaining pee dripped on my body as i sat in the middle of the officers in the car.  The police officers in the double cabin I was in were kind to me.  They offered me a drink from corner Kamdini with their own money.  Director Oluga was travelling in a separate car.   We reached Gulu police station and I was medically examined if I was fit for trial.  At 5pm, we again set off for Pader District.  In Pader, I was  locked up in the police cells for one night yet my home is just 600m away from the police station.  I did not bother to ask for police bond.  I now knew what they were upto.  I told my wife not to let my children know what was happening to me.  I said I would sort out myself as a man and this would be the last time I would be stressing my immediate family.  The next morning, I was  taken to Pader Court and every senior officer was not at Pader police station.

There was an order from Lokech that I be handcuffed and walk on foot to Pader Court so that the voters see me and know that I am finished.  As I was leaving the police cells to go to Court I asked the policeman, "do you have to handcuff me?" "It's an order and we have to walk to Court", the policeman said.  "I have my car outside if the police car can not be used". I said.  I declined to walk and said they would rather carry me to Court or kill me from the station right there.  The act of walking to Court was all meant to humiliate me and deny me dignity.  While in Court, my Lawyer was  never allowed to apply for bail but instead referred to the next Court appearance to make the bail application.  I was then remanded to Gulu prison.  I boarded the prison lorry waiting outside Court and was handcuffed again.  Police had to jump into the prison vehicle and stand over me.  I decided not to look up for  the entire journey from Pader to Gulu.   The world had descended on me and I was at my lowest point in life. I just asked for a favour from the policeman to allow me lean on his shoes as sitting directly on the truck floor was killing my back. You wonder why I was remanded to Gulu prison and yet Pader District has its own prison in Patongo.  After 7 days in Gulu prison, I returned to Pader Court and I was finally granted bail.  Despite getting bail from Pader Court,  I was not yet a free man because I was immediately  re-arrested and taken to Gulu Court  for another case of 2019 that was coming up that same day.   Senior Acholi leaders like the Chief Justice Owiny Dollo, Speaker Oulanyah Jacob (who was the Deputy Speaker at that time), Gen.Otema Awany, Rwot Achana and other well intentioned Acholis, all pleaded with Paul Lokech to let go of me but all in vain.

While in Gulu Court, I was granted bail but my passport was retained.  What a life!

As of now, all those criminal cases against me have been dropped and I am a free man.  On another note, 

my election petition succeeded in Gulu High Court on friday 20th August 2021 and a day after Paul Lokech dies. What a unique turn of events.  The God I  serve is a living God and he sees the injustices happening in this world. 

LESSONS LEARNT:

1. If God lifts you up, be just and fair to people under you.

2. People will always document what one does while in office .

3. God is not a sleeping God.

Thisbare extracts from a book i am publishing in a near future "otto my life story"I thought of publishing  this so that I release Paul Lokech from my heart.Forgiveness is the art of the strong and i am better placed to do it now.

May God have mercy on his soul.

Colleagues Katwe Kabatoro Tc

 

Accidents