{UAH} Return Gen Okello assets, govt told..... Really?
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Return Gen Okello assets, govt told
Posted Tuesday, February 17 2015 at 11:46
In Summary
Reclaim. An ex-UNLA commander claims government should return Gen Bazilio Okello's properties to his family since it destroyed them.
Lamwo. Former Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) senior commanders have asked government to help relatives of the late Lt Gen Bazilio Olara Okello repossess all the properties that belonged to the former top commander.
Gen Okello died in exile on January 9, 1990, and was buried in Omdurman near Khartoum. His remains were repatriated and reburied on Saturday at his ancestral home in Poyamo village, Madi Opei Sub-county in Lamwo District.
During the reburial, Maj (rtd) Oloya Padwat, a former UNLA commander, said government soldiers destroyed some of the former commander's property and they deserve to account for it.
Maj Padwat, who joined went into exile in Sudan with Lt Gen Okello after the National Resistance Army (NRA) took over power in 1986, urged other leaders to help push government to return Gen Okello's property.
"Now that government has accepted reburial of his remains, this is the right time to ask government about the whereabouts of the properties of Lt Gen Olara Okello, just like the saying; give b ack what belongs to Caesar," Maj Padwat said.
A family member, who preferred anonymity, said most of their father's property and estates mainly in Kitgum and Kampala, were either destroyed, stolen or encroached on by government officials.
The source said Gen Okello's house at his ancestral home that was recently renovated by the family in preparation for the reburial was previously destroyed by the NRA, the UPDF's forerunner, who set up an army detachment there while fighting Lord's Resistance Army rebels.
The Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Lamwo County MP, Mr Hillary Onek, pledged to implore government to ensure the deceased's property is returned and rehabilitated.
"I will commit myself on this subject and ensure that whatever properties belonged to him that were destroyed and his gratuities are paid for," Mr Onek said.
He commended government for accepting the remains of the late Gen Okello to be repatriated from Sudan for a decent reburial.
The minister also appealed to all the exiled relatives of late Olara to return home and develop the country.
In a telephone interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, the army spokesperson, Lt Col Paddy Ankunda, advised the relatives and the former UNLA commanders to follow the necessary steps so that they are cleared of their claims.
"As UPDF, we are more than willing to do everything to ensure the family gets what their son lost. However, this takes a process and if properly followed, everything will be sorted out," Col Ankunda said.
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