HOW ONE LAWOKO NIGHT-DANCES ON THE ARCHBISHOPS GRAVE. Dear reader,
I have always maintained that there were never any charges, nor any case against Idi Amin, the reason being that all the slanderous accusations (from the numerous books to the malicious movies) were fiction. I ask everyone if these human rights organizations and their backers had any real case and care, why didn't they fight for justice for the victims they allege? The impression I get is that they were ready to publish anything to get regime change. Once that was achieved, they were happy puppies. I remember in 2013 when I openly inquired on a prominent Ugandan discussion forum if anyone had a judicial case against Idi Amin, and if they had filed any charges against him? The silence was deafening for hours, and when they slowly started speaking, it turns out they wasn't a single procedure. How that happens in a country with courts of justice should be baffling. Not to most people apparently. In February this year, the New Vision published an article about one Mr. Lawoko. I wrote back to them with some queries that they never responded to, neither did they publish my concerns. However, there are two points: 1 - At the beginning of their narration (pasted below), Mr. Lawoko writes a book with the striking title "Dungeons of Nakasero" in which he claims to be the last person to have seen the Archbishop Janan Luwum alive. He says Luwum was being brought into the State Research Bureau "on a Thursday afternoon Febuary 17th 1976 at around 3pm". He then narrates the horrors that the Archbishop endured in his presence. In reality, the Archbishop died the day before on February 16th as he and others tried to over power the driver who was taking them home after a public hearing. So did Mr. Lawoko see a ghost or what. Surprisingly, February 16th (and not Lawoko's 17th) is now a public holiday celebrating the priest who joined a sectarian rebellion against the state simply so that their tribe can rule the country. Today they make it sound as if he was a hero fighting for Ugandans. That's not true! He was in it for his Langi clansmate Apollo Milton Obote who would indeed return to Uganda 4 years later and base his power on the notorious UNLA (Uganda National Liberation Army). An army which was basically an ethnic force for Luo's - the Acholi and Langi tribes - masquerading as a national army, until Yoweri Museveni kicked it out in 1986 for that very reason among others. Don't misunderstand me. It's ok with me if people want to enjoy their new national holiday. Plus I am a nationalist. Not limited by sectarianism nor am I against any tribe. In fact I married a Luo girl from John Akii-bua's children (Uganda's first Olympic gold medalist - 1974) with whom I have a bright 14 year old daughter. I also respect the church as I spent wonderful holidays with my maternal grandfather Rev. Archdeacon Silas Adroa who taught me to respect all faiths even though I am primarily a Muslim. Some mad people trying to take advantage of the situation have made outrageous accusations against me, forgetting that my own mother died in the most horrible circumstances in 1974. Her life and death being mocked about in the same movies and books for the last 40 years by the same imbeciles. 2 - Secondly, on 16th February, while Mr. Lawoko portrays himself as suffering inside cell no.2 at the State Research Bureau, everyone else actually says he was at work at Radio Uganda. This is also confirmed by fellow radio Uganda journalist Mr. Charles Byekwaso in a Daily Monitor article (link below) where the young journalist narrates how he received his news assignments for that day from Mr. Lawoko himself at the radio Uganda offices. (http:// <http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Insight/Uganda-history-microphone/-/688338/2749406/-/4b7rea/-/index.html> www.monitor.co.ug <http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Insight/Uganda-history-microphone/-/688338/2749406/-/4b7rea/-/index.html> /News/Insight/Uganda-history-microphone/-/688338/2749406/-/4b7rea/-/ <http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Insight/Uganda-history-microphone/-/688338/2749406/-/4b7rea/-/index.html> index.html <http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Insight/Uganda-history-microphone/-/688338/2749406/-/4b7rea/-/index.html> ) This Mr. Lawoko has therefore been a parasitic opportunist who 1 - made his fame sucking dime from the Archbishops death, 2 - and maliciously took Ugandans and the world for a ride as everyone pitied him and his imaginary inmates as they endured non-existent events and sufferings.i However, kindly check in the article below, how Mr. Lawoko is performing their reknown crocodile tears dance on the Archbishops issue. If he was sincere with himself, he should have donated the royalty funds of his book to the Church...if they can accept such. Lawoko's New Vision interview article says: The author of a poignant book Dungeons of Nakasero, about his narrow escape from Amin’s clutches, Lawoko recalls the late Archbishop Janan Luwum’s arrival at the State Research Bureau one Thursday afternoon February 17, 1977. He was humiliated and beaten before getting shot in Farouk Minawa’s office – most likely by Amin he says. Lawoko told New Vision: “Our cell No.2 was underground. The place had been completely quiet the whole day, save for the footsteps of menacing guards patrolling the dark corridors. Then at around 3:00pm, we heard vehicles bursting onto the scene. Within minutes, there were cries of agony as we heard people being beaten. From our cell, we saw two ministers – Erinayo Oryema and Oboth Ofumbi hurled into cell No.1,” Lawoko says. Within minutes, more cars arrived, there was commotion and screaming as guards dragged someone downstairs. Lawoko remembers the tension and silence in cell No.2 as inmates, with trepidation, waited to see whether the next arrival would be pushed into their already overcrowded dungeon. And sure enough, the groans of the new arrival headed for Lawoko’s cell. “The heavy door to our cell swung open. And whom do we see? Archbishop Luwum stripped to his underwear and being beaten and mocked by guards led by Hajji Kabugo,” Lawoko reminisces. After a lull of 30 minutes, Lawoko remembers the door to cell No.2 swinging open again and guards ordering Luwum to sit in a corner. “They again descended on him with gun butts. Profusely bleeding but composed, Luwuum said: ‘I have offended no one but you will pay dearly for the crimes you’re committing against Ugandans,’” Lawoko reminisces. Luwum was then taken out of the cell for 10 minutes. Coming back fully attired in his official regalia, cell No.2 inmates were relieved, thinking that Luwum was about to gain his freedom. Once in the cell, Luwum prayed with the inmates, “urging us to forgive those who had wronged us”. Mr. Lawoko says he shared a cell with Luwum. Shortly after, Lawoko remembers the door swinging open again, and a military officer reading out names of people that were ordered to get out of cell No.1 and 2. Among these were Luwum, Oryema and Ofumbi, then chief inspector of schools, Y.Y Okot, Okidi Menya and Lawoko. “We were taken to the reception on the ground floor where we found Amin, Farouk Minawa, Bob Astles, Jumba Masagazi and Hajji Kabugo,” Lawoko says. According to Lawoko, Amin spoke to Minawa in Nubian. Luwum and the three ministers were immediately marched to Minawa’s office. Lawoko and the other prisoners stayed at the reception. “Immediately they got into Minawa’s office, Amin started to shout. We could hear the commotion. The three were being tortured and there was a lot of screaming. They were saying they were innocent. Amin was shouting: ‘You were plotting to kill me and topple my government. But before you do that, I am going to kill you!’” Lawoko remembers. As the beatings, screaming and pleadings of innocence went a notch higher, Minawa rushed out of his office and ordered guards to march Lawoko and the other prisoners at the reception back to their cells. “We shall see them later,” Lawoko remembers Minawa saying, before rushing back to his office. But as the dishevelled prisoners turned a corner leading to their dark, blood stained dungeons, two gun shots rang out, and then silence descended on the SRB headquarters. That evening, a boisterous guard asked Lawoko and other inmates in cell No.2 whether they knew what had happened to Luwum and the two ministers. “Amin killed them. Tomorrow might be your turn,” the guard, according to Lawoko, said in Swahili. The following day, the manager of Uganda Club was brought to SRB for having accidently stumbled upon the stage managed accident that allegedly claimed the lives of Luwum, Oryema and Ofumbi. The manager was among a group of people rounded up, severely beaten and thrown into the dungeons at SRB by one of Amin’s notorious henchmen for inadvertently witnessing the stage managed accident. He was taken out of cell No.2 before completing his narration of what he had seen. He was never seen again. Lawoko says. ------------------------ PS: Does anyone know the Uganda Club manager mentioned?
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