President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said that the fallen Dokolo District Woman Member of Parliament, Cecilia Barbara Atim Ogwal, was a patriotic leader who worked tirelessly for the peace and development of her people.
While addressing mourners at Parliament on Monday evening, January 22, 2024, after laying a wreath on her casket, President Museveni noted that, whereas the late MP Ogwal was a patriotic leader, he didn’t get enough time to optimally work with her due to politics of fragmentation guided by hatred and division, among others.
“We couldn’t work together with UPC due to the politics of hatred in the late 1960s. I had to form a separate force, and because of that, I have not worked optimally with Ogwal. Later, I could see that she was a patriot. One day, while we were monitoring the rebels and listening to what they were saying, Vincent Otii (the LRA deputy leader) called Ogwal and tried to intimidate her into joining the rebellion, but she openly rejected it. She made a good stand, telling him that rebellion isn’t good for the ground,” President Museveni said.
Museveni said he further proved that late MP Cecilia Ogwal was a true patriot when she defied top UPC leadership when the group wanted to boycott elections in 1994.
“MP Cecilia Ogwal rejected the line that the UPC was pushing to boycott Constituent Assembly elections in 1994. She rejected the politics of hatred. Some of the people wanted to boycott the election. Joining the FDC was due to some skirmishes with the UPC,” said Mr. Museveni.
According to President Museveni, the late MP Ogwal exhibited high levels of patriotism while serving in the Pan African Parliament in South Africa, saying she satisfactorily defended Uganda.
The President later called on the opposition leaders to join and work together with the government when it’s still early enough and cautioned against politics of hatred.
“At least now we are getting closer with UPC, Akena, Betty Amongi, and even Mao of DP. That politics of hatred is getting isolated. Ogwal was very good at rejecting politics based on hatred,” Museveni said.
He said the deceased served without being corrupt and that he has always received information regarding corruption from some members of the parliamentary committee.
MP Ogwal passed away in India on January 18, 2024, where she had gone to seek medical treatment.
