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Among made these remarks while chairing the plenary session on Tuesday, 9 May 2023 to pay tribute to the former State Minister for Labour, Employment, and Industrial Relations, Hon. Charles Engola who was gunned down on Tuesday, 2 May 2023 by his bodyguard Wilson Sabiiti who in turn shot himself.
Speaker Among expressed displeasure with those who have been celebrating his death, especially on social media, calling such acts uncultured and inhumane.
“I want to express my displeasure with the unfortunate practice where people celebrate the misfortune of those they don’t agree with. It is inhuman, uncultured, and very immoral to celebrate the death of anyone because you hold different or divergent views,” said Among.
In her tribute, the cabinet minister for labor, gender, and social development, Betty Amongi, revealed that prior to his death, Hon. Engola had written to the ministry’s top management to preserve the month of June this year for his planned wedding but was unfortunate not to live long enough to see that day.
Shortly after the incident, a vlogger, Ibrahim Tusubira aka Isma Olaxess aka Jajja Ichuli was shot near his home in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb, a few days after he celebrated the death of Hon. Charles Engola.
Anita Among condemned gunmen and killers for taking the lives of Ugandans.
“We have heard unfortunate incidences in this country where gunmen have murdered people in cold blood with the latest being one of the bloggers, Ibrahim also known as Jaja Iculi who was murdered in cold blood. As the leader of the House, we strongly condemn these kinds of barbaric killings,” she said.
Among described the killings an acts of cowardice.
She called on Ugandans not to take the law into their hands, saying that as human beings, everyone has a time to be born and a time to die.
Among added that although people may differ, there is a need to find better solutions instead of violence.
“We may differ in terms of religion, politics, and whichever, but I don’t think that is the best thing to do. No one has the right to take one’s life under any circumstances. It’s God that creates and God that takes, there is only an ultimate end that is a time to be born and time to die,” he said.
Among asked Ugandans to live in harmony despite having disagreements. She said enemies do not need to die in cold blood.
Among sent her condolence to the family of the deceased blogger, but also condemned it as inhumane, uncultured, and very immoral to celebrate the death of anyone.
“I want to express the displeasure with the unfortunate practice in this country where people celebrate the misfortune of those they do not agree with,” she said.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja moved a motion on the floor of Parliament for the house to pay tribute to the fallen minister and convey the deepest condolences to the President of the Republic of Uganda, Ugandans at large, family members, and friends.
She applauded Col. Engola’s efforts to pacify the wars in Northern Uganda, where he led the 501 brigade in Gulu before his retirement in 2005.
His calm but brave actions in Northern Uganda earned him the nickname “Macodwogo,” translating as “Fire has returned,” after the LRA rebels had put a ban in the region prohibiting them from ‘lighting any fire’ or face death, which Engola and his team pacified.
Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition (LOP), seconded the motion, saying the late Engola was an independent-minded leader who supported the right cause.
Lt. Gen. James Mugira, the UPDF representative in parliament, saluted Col. (Rtd.) Engola’s efforts and invaluable contribution to ending the LRA mayhem in Northern Uganda and for contributing to the bringing of peace, security, and stability in the region.
Gen. Mugira went ahead to clarify that the assassination of Minister Engola should not be reduced to the issue of a low salary.
“This is indiscipline, period! I want to state that the UPDF has never been a machine force; our service to our motherland has always been out of patriotism, ideological convictions, and sacrifice all throughout,” said Lt Gen James Mugira. “
The fallen MP for Oyam North was shot and killed by his bodyguard, Pte. Wilson Sabiiti, at his residence in Kyanja. The killer fired several shots at close range before fleeing the scene up to the trading center, where he entered a salon and shot himself dead.
