The Gulu district Chairman Ojara Mapenduzi has warned UPDF chief of logistics Brig. Charles Otema Awany against engaging in partisan politics.
‘‘ As a citizen of this country I send a strong warning to Otema that as a serving officer he should desist from partisan politics,’’ Mapenduzi said Thursday morning at a press conference at the Northern Uganda Media Club.
‘‘Otema needs to refrain himself from politics if he wants to have a future,’’ an agitated Mapenduzi added.
Brig. Otema has widely been accused by senior opposition politicians from Acholi for dishing out millions of shillings to various groups in what his critics say is campaigning for the NRM.
‘‘Whatever Otema is giving out is tax payer’s money. Eat it but don’t vote Otema’s candidates‘’ said Mapenduzi.
At today’s press conference which was also addressed by Gulu woman MP Betty Aol Ochan and Aswa County MP Reagan Okumu, Otema once more came under attack from the politicians for allegedly campaigning for president Museveni and for Catherine Lamwaka, a former Gulu Resident District Commissioner with whom it is said he[Otema] has a romantic relationship. Lamwaka is challenging the current woman MP for Gulu district, Betty Aol Ochan.
But at an impromptu press conference initiated by journalists to seek his response on the accusations from the politicians, Otema dismissed the accusations against him on at his Acholi Inn hotel in Gulu town.
‘‘They are baseless allegations,’’ said the UPDF Brigadier.
‘‘I am not campaigning but I am moving around as Chairman of Bongo Traders (a micro finance company in Gulu),’’ Otema said.
‘‘Bongo traders supports the community and gives them money to support their businesses. They the people invite me to the opening of their Boli Cup (saving schemes) and I advise them. That has been my interaction with community.’’ Otema said,
‘‘When I am with the community they ask me for my response on issues raised against me by my brothers Nobert Mao and Reagan Okumu.’’
The two leaders, DP President Norbert Mao and Aswa County MP and FDC senior official Reagan Okumu have all criticised Otema.
‘‘If they (Mao& Okumu) don’t want me to go to the community they should not mention my names in their rallies.’’
‘‘They claim that I am campaigning for Catherine[Lamwaka]. I have not campaigned for her for even a single day. When I am meeting people I have never, never campaigned and raised a slogan for any party. And I move only with one escort. Just one soldier. Not soldiers.’’
Otema told journalists that he had instructed his lawyers to respond to the allegations labelled against him by the opposition politicians.
