By Julius Odeke
Mr. President, on Tuesday, 27th May 2025, from a distance, a Daily Monitor reporter called me to seek my view on what your apology to Mengo and Ugandans meant. My response was brief and simple: “Release political prisoners like Dr Kizza Besigye and allow freedom of speech and expression.” It hurts for you to repent to God and apologise to a section of Ugandans some of whom have not suffered.
For your apology to be taken seriously by my relatives, children and I, means you have to compensate me for the two gunshot wounds that I sustained while on duty on Friday, 18th February 2011. Mr. President, your apology to Mengo and Ugandans means that you have apologized even to me. But a lot has to be done by your government, particularly the military whose elements inflicted several wounds on me. Today, I walk while limping and it will be like that for the rest of my life.
As a journalist, I was working with an international media that paid me well. But due to fear, I lost my job. This marked a lot of suffering on my side, family and other people who depended on me. As a commander-in-chief, you have to ensure that the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs compensates me.
I have submitted to the Permanent Secretary Ms. Rosette Byengoma and the Chief of Defence Forces my legal documents that indicate the severity of the injury that I sustained, which serves as my legal basis for the claim. The paperwork that I have done plays a crucial role in determining my compensation.
As a bread winner, I have four children and my late brother’s children who all depend on me but on a bad note, I am also struggling to make ends meet. From the day I was shot, I have now turned to be a regular visitor to hospitals both private and government seeking to rebuild the cartilages that were torn apart by the two bullets.
I have been surgically operated on four times to save my life. This week, I was in Mbale Referral Hospital, where the medical doctor guided me to see a surgeon. Meaning I seem to be headed for yet another surgery and yet I am financially bedridden. Mr. President, for your apology to be taken by me and my family and those who depend on me, you need to pay for the shooting that I incurred when an element of the UPDF shot me. Otherwise, my family and I may not forgive you.
At that time, when I was shot by an element of UPDF, I sought legal guidance, however, my two lawyers died mysteriously. This scared me to the marrow. I then heed to an advise of the former Deputy Attorney General Rukutana Mwesigwa who told me that I should seek an out of court settlement. Alas! That was deliberately failed by the then Attorney General Mr. Mwesigwa Rukutana who started talking from both sides of his mouth. I painfully swallowed it like that. But I am still reeling in a lot of pain stemming from that incident where I was shot by a UPDF soldier.
I have talked to all the NRM top political leaders in Teso and beyond whom I felt have the political influence to bring my matter to you. Mr. President, the truth is, the people whom you know in Teso sub-region dreadfully fear you. Nobody listened to my painful cry. It’s like they fear for their lives as they do not want to be victimised, thus, causing them their jobs.
It was only Mr. Francis Okwameri who stood up to be counted as a man. He was the former Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Kalaki district. When I talked to him about my issue, he advised me to write a detailed letter to you. I gave him my 48-page letter that he delivered to Madam Milly Babalanda Babirye, the Minister presidency.
The then Presidential Principal Secretary Dr. Kenneth Omona, now state minister for Northern Uganda responded to it by writing a one-page letter to the then Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) Gen Wilson Mbadi and I was given a copy. Mr. President, despite a directive from the State House that I be compensated, to-date, nothing has happened. I have on many occasions travelled to Mbuya military headquarters meeting both the PS and CDF asking them to attend to me but nothing has happened.
Mr president, for my family and I to forgive you, you have first to compensate me for the two gunshot wounds that I sustained 14 years ago. Otherwise, I will be the last person to forgive you. The author Mr. Julius Odeke is a journalist and advocate of freedom of speech based in Mbale City and he can be reached on email: jodeke@gmail.com. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
