President Yoweri Museveni on Monday joined Members of Parliament to pay tribute to Cuthbert Obwangor, the former minister for regional administration in the Obote I government, who died on Saturday aged 91 years.
Museveni described Obwangor as a principled man who lived and died following what he believed was right, even at the cost of a juicy job then of a minister.
Obwangor was among the first 80 legislators from across Uganda who represented the country in the Legislative Council, the pre-Independence Uganda parliament.
He is remembered by most politicians for resigning his ministerial position after a disagreement with former President Milton Obote in the 1960s, later getting arrested for refusing to grant the then president under whom he worked more powers. Obwangor also refused to endorse, or recognise, the 1967 Constitution commonly known as the “Pigeon Hole Constitution,” which Obote introduced after the suspension of the 1962 Constitution.
In a 2009 interview with the New Vision, Obwangor said he was opposed to Obote’s plans to detain people without trial, especially after the 1966 crisis that saw five cabinet ministers jailed without trial. The crisis including the attack on Mengo palace, forced the then president Edward Muteesa, into exile in the United Kingdom, where he died three years later.
Earlier on Monday, Museveni arrived at parliament and was received by the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga and her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah and was immediately ushered in to sign the visitors’ book and greeting members of the bereaved family.
He said that Obwangor as a leader of the Teso people rejected the idea of creating a kingdom in Teso and instead opted for development for his people.
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Museveni said he remembers Obwangor for the political drama he caused in the 60s during a parliamentary debate as well as his early pressure on politicians in the National Resistance Council – NRC to return multiparty politics to Uganda.
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Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi described Obwangor as an honest, straight-forward man, a uniting factor and very resourceful Ugandan who showed a good example to the country and continued guiding the nation even in his old age.
Born November 4, 1920 in Omagoro village in Katakwi district, Obwangor went to Ngora Catholic Church Primary School, Namilyango College, Nyenga Seminary and Coventry College in the UK.
He represented Teso in the Legislative Council before becoming a minister at Independence in 1962.
After falling out with Obote, Obwangor kept a low profile only bouncing back into politics in 1986 as a member of the National Resistance Council (NRC) until 1994. In the NRC, Obwangor was among the few voices that called for the restoration of multiparty democracy at a time the idea was not popular. He also protested against the use of Sura Mbaya (army helicopter gunships) to fight against Uganda Peoples’ Army (UPA) rebels then based in Teso.
He died at his home in Katakwi district on Saturday.
