Museveni reveals when he first met Col Engola & how minister killed by his bodyguard got the Machodwogo nickname
State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col. (rtd) Charles Okello Macodwogo Engola, was yesterday, 2nd Many 2023, shot dead by his body guard Pte Wilson Sabiiti.
State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col. (rtd) Charles Okello Macodwogo Engola, was yesterday, 2nd May 2023, shot dead by his bodyguard Pte Wilson Sabiiti.
The incident happened at Engola’s home in Kyanja, a residential area outside Kampala. An erratic Sabiiti who went on a shooting spree in the air later shot himself dead, inside a saloon.
In a condolence message to Ugandans and the family of the deceased retired colonel, President Yoweri Museveni revealed when he first met Engola and exploits fighting Joseph Kony, the leader of Lord’s Resistance Movement that caused havoc in northern Uganda in the 1990s.
“Colonel (rtd) Charles Engola was a lion. I, first saw him in Lubiri barracks (before it was returned to the Kabaka), manning a 14.5mm anti-aircraft gun in 1986.
“Later, he became an infantry Commander in the Minakulu area. That is when he got his “Machodwogo” Kikubyo (praise name). Mac in our Luo language means fire. Dwogo, means, “Coming back” (Okudda, Okugaruka).
“The peasants who gave him that praise name meant that when he took command of the army in the area, people were able to make fires again in order to cook and warm themselves (okwoota omuriro).
“Before Okello defeated the Kony terrorists in the area, people were in hiding, fearing to make a fire so that the terrorists do not see the fire and come for them.
“On account of that popularity, he was elected LC-5 Chairman and, eventually, Member of Parliament. I was very happy to appoint him as Minister of State.
“His killing by this bodyguard was a big crime to patriotism in Uganda. We would have hunted him to exact justice on him. Unfortunately, he took his own life; hence, we did not have that opportunity.
“There is an ongoing investigation. I await the conclusion of that investigation before I comment on the security of public officials & the mistakes made and how we will rectify them,” the president narrated.
