Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) has begun renovating a twelve roomed dilapidated house that belonged to the late Brig Pierino Okoya, a former senior army officer during late Apollo Milton Obote’s first regime.
The house located in Koro sub county, about 6kms along the Gulu- Kampala highway is where Brig Okoya and his wife, Rena Ajok were shot dead on the night of January 25, 1970.
Brig Okoya was the commander of the second Infantry brigade of the Uganda Army stationed in Masaka district.
The late Okoya’s house has remained in a derelict state for many years with local talk swirling about that it is a haunted house.
Warren Officer 11, Ronald Mutakubwa from the UPDF 4th division engineering regiment, said renovation of the house is funded by State House to the tune of 51 million shillings.
‘‘We were tasked by State House as regiment to do a general renovation of the house,’’ Mutakubwa said.
“This was supposed to be a two -week’s renovation exercise but we have extended it by a week due to other engineering technicalities. We are currently carrying out a general renovation exercise since the house was dilapidated,” said Mutakubwa.
“Brig Okoya was among the big army officers in Uganda’s history who served this country but was brutally killed. The UPDF is trying to recognize his work,’’ Mutakubwa added.
UPDF 4th Division infantry spokesperson Capt. Caesar Olweny, told Acholi Time the renovation exercise is part of the constitutional mandate of the UPDF as a ‘’people’s army.’’
“UPDF felt it necessary that the house should be renovated to help the family members. A number of regimes past regimes did not pay attention to the fallen comrade who was murdered in cold blood,’’ Capt. Olweny said.
Olweny said the UPDF had also constructed a house in Kitgum for the family of the late Anglican Bishop Janani Luwum.
Mr Johnson Lajul, the eldest son of Brig Okoya applauded the UPDF for renovation work on his late father’s house.
‘‘ I have written six times asking the president to renovate the house and to also pay my late Dad’s pension and gratuity because he died while in service,’’ said Lajul, 61.
‘‘We are glad for the renovation but we still have concerns of his gratuity,’’ Lajul added.
Who was Brig Okoya?
Brig Okoya was born in 1928 at Palaro Sub County in Gulu district. He joined the King’s African Riffle in 1950 along with Idi Amin, Tito Okello Lutwa and Shaban Opolot. He rose fast through the ranks becoming a Brigadier in 1968.
Brig Okoya’s murder remains an unresolved mystery. No suspects were charged for his murder although it is suspected the then army commander Idi Amin who eventually toppled Obote’s government in 1971 and took over as President of Uganda.
Samuel Oduny, a Gulu resident and former Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) soldier turned strong NRM supporter was 15 years old at the time of Okoya’s murder. He told Acholi Times that Amin was a top suspect in the murder of Okoya.
