President Yoweri Museveni has described the deceased Minister for Labour Colonel (rtd) Charles Engola as a fearless and devoted man who served well.
The Minister was murdered by one of his principal bodyguards identified as Wilson Sabiiti in violent shooting that happened in Kyanja on Tuesday morning. As the Minister Okello Engola was stepping out of his home Sabiiti disabled his ADC Simon Olim before shooting the minister in cold blood.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the President condemned the act of shooting the Minister as ‘unpatriotic’ and stated that he will give a more detailed statement on security of public officers following the incident, once investigations are complete.
“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.” he said
The President briefly stated that he first met the minister in the then Lubiri barracks manning a 14.5mm antiair-craft gun in 1986. He noted that Rtd Col Engola later became an infantry Commander in the Minakulu area where he was baptised the name ‘Machodwogo Kikubyo’ by locals meaning ‘fire’.
He said that locals praised him for restoring peace and order to a territory invaded for long by the infamous Kony rebels.
“Before Okello defeating the Kony terrorists in the area, people were in hiding, fearing to make fire so that the terrorists do not see the fire and come for them.That is when he got his Machodwogo Kikubyo (praise name). Mac in our Luo language means fire. Dwogo, means, “Coming back” .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, warm themselves (okwoota omuriro).” he said
He further stated that Engola’s efforts led him to be elected LC-5 Chairman ,Member of Parliament and eventually Minister.
Engola was born to Chief (Jago) Nasan Engola and Ketula Engola of Awangi, in Iceme, Oyam district. He was the grandson of Rwot Olong Adilo, and great-grandson of Rwot Olwa Abelli of Iceme.
Engola was appointed to the position of Minister of State for Defence on 6 June 2016, replacing General Jeje Odongo, who was appointed Cabinet Minister of Internal Affairs.[He served as the Member of Parliament representing Oyam North County in the 10th Parliament (2016–2021).[
While in the military, Engola was the commander of UPDF 501 Brigade, headquartered at Opit, in Gulu District. The brigade played a role in fighting the Lord’s Resistance Army. He was promoted to the rank of colonel and retired from the military in 2007.
During the 2006 national election cycle, Engola successfully contested the Local Council 5 (LCV), Oyam District Council Chairmanship, on the ruling NRM political party ticket. He won in a landslide, winning 93 percent of the vote.
He was re-elected in 2011 and served as the LCV Chair for Oyam District for a continuous 10 years, from 2006. In 2016 he won the Oyam North parliamentary seat and was the incumbent member of parliament until he was killed.
On 6 June 2016, Engola was named to the cabinet as State Minister of Defence. In the cabinet reshuffle of 14 December 2019, Engola retained his portfolio.
At the time of his death, he was serving as the State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial relations and he led the Republic of Uganda government officials on the 1st May, 2023 in commemoration of the International Labour Day in Mayuge District in Eastern Uganda.
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