Government okays return of former Obote minister’s body

Government has reportedly okayed return of the remains of Peter Otai, a former minister in Obote II government, for burial in his home in Oderai, Soroti Town.

Ms Agnes Akiror, the Minister for Teso Affairs, said the prime minister’s office is organising meetings and the official position of government on the burial will be communicated.

Michael Eroku, a relative, said the body of Otai is expected to be flown into the country from London, United Kingdom, in the next two weeks.

“Because of paperwork, relatives and the Iteso living in the UK are finalising arrangements for the body to be flown,” he said yesterday.

Otai, who served as the deputy minister of Defence between 1980 and 1985 under the Obote II government, died in London on Thursday after slipping into a coma for two weeks.

The news of his death was communicated by his personal lawyer, Mr Richard Anguria Omongole.
The deceased had been staying in London since 1985.
Mr Eroku said the cause of the death has not been established but details would be availed.

“We are clearing his home, and we expect to have another meeting on Friday with area leaders,” he said, adding that during the burial, they will hand to government their memorandum as a family, one of the demands being the renovation of his house in Oderai, Soroti Town.
Having been a man of great influence in Teso during Obote II’s government, Otai was named chairperson of Uganda People’s Army (UPA).

He commanded subversive activities as UPA rebel leader against the NRA government between 1987 and 1992. Though the agenda of the rebel group has not been known to date, many claimed the group fought cattle rustling.

Birth, education

Mr Peter Otai was born in 1939 in Tiditiek Village in Ngora District. He was the second born to the family of Mzee Iloot and Besi Asano.
The late attended Soroti Primary School between 1946 and 1952, he later enrolled and Ngora Boy’s Primary School from 1952 to 1954.

He then joined Ngora High School and Busoga College Mwiri College, before being admitted to Makerere University for Law. After Maker ere, he went to the UK for further education in 1960 until his return during Obote II government in 1980’s when he was appointed deputy minister for Defence, a position he served until 1985 when the government was overthrown.
The late fathered six children with two wives.
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