Open letter to Pallisa County Member of Parliament Sam Otukol

Salutations Mr. Sam Otukol. I reach out to you to let you know that as my member of parliament (MP), representing my ancestral home area, Pallisa County, in the 11^th Parliament, I am disappointed with how you engage in conversation on WhatsApp on sensitive matters concerning us, your constituents.

Sometimes back, it was how you engaged on the tragic death of Josephine Agadi, your late constituent, who was exported to Saudi Arabia and who committed suicide two days after she returned under very mysterious circumstances. It was during the online “#UgandaParliamentExhibition” on X and Kakwenza rightly pointed out how “none of the MPs from Pallisa said anything and took the exporters to task.”

There are five MPs representing Pallisa in the 11^th Parliament. Whereas, it was only you, Mr. Otukol, who chose to engage in the WhatsApp conversation on the tragedy of Agadi, you did so in a manner that motivated Pallisa WhatsApp netizens to caution you thus:

“Boss, Hon. Otukol Sam, tone down. Your anger won’t solve a problem. Have decorum while submitting. Also, this is an exhibition on Parliament. You can still respond objectively, without necessarily bringing in your so-called opponents. At worst, just keep quiet. The tone you are using isn’t in tandem with our would-be good debates. Let’s be mindful as we submit.”

Seemingly, you have not accepted this valuable advice from your constituents, and you continue not using “decorum while submitting” in conversations with us. The latest case being a conversation in which I am an interested party, brought to my attention through a tag by Ronnie Okia and from which are the following extracts of your engagement (copied verbatim):

[6/23, 1:18 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: He (Kakwenza Rukiribashaija @KakwenzaRukira with a 260K X global following) is now reducing himself to a villager.
[6/23, 1:18 AM] +256*******76: And whom do you think fed Kakwenza with the information?
[6/23, 1:18 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: The idiots of Pallisa
[6/23, 1:19 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: I think he is doing badly out there let him come back home.
[6/23, 1:20 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: That is it the ka boy has lost it completely.
[6/23, 1:25 AM] +256*******56: Anti, most of our people now think those exhibitors are very powerful. I see them sending everything to Dr Spire (Jim Spire Ssentogno, PhD. @SpireJim with a 270K X global following) and Toko (Godwin Toko @GodwinTOKO with a 34K X global following).
[6/23, 1:26 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: Useless. They should use that time for something better.
[6/23, 1:28 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: And the best way is going to court and resolve the matter than wasting time with that imbecile outside the country.
[6/23, 1:29 AM] Hon Otukol Sam: Let him come back Muhoozi will cane him.

Once again, Mr. Otukol, you were triggered by a post on X by Kakwenza who shared a story published in a reputable online publication, PML Daily, titled: “City Lawyer Silver Adowa ordered to stop destruction of half sister’s gardens in Pallisa”.

Mr. Otukol, for you to use abusive descriptors and derogatory language, “imbecile, idiots, ka boy, useless,” while in conversation with your constituents, in particular, and with all people, in general, is not befitting one holding the privilege of being a Pallisa people’s representative in Parliament; and also the face of the National Resistance Movement, the ruling party.

In this case in conversation, moreover, if you had clicked on the link and read the story, you would have known that the order against Adowa was a Court Order given by High Court Holden in Mbale. The Police are duty bound to enforce such an order and that is what the story was about.

Who fed Kakwenza this story? HE READS, and in this case, he read the story published by PML Daily. In this era of digital technology, news seekers and writers (journalists) can be anyone with a smart phone and sufficient curiosity for a story. By the way, Mr. Otukol, you should surely know that court documents are public documents, which you too can have access, if you so wished to engage in fact-based and evidence-based discourse.

As our MP, Mr. Otukol, if you were in touch with us, your constituents, you would know that the matter of the estate of my late father, Engineer George William Owaraga, is subject to court proceedings. Meaning, his heir isn’t “appointed” yet and no one has been issued with letters of administration, as you and a few of your supporters falsely insinuated in the WhatsApp conversation.

Mr. Otukol, among the moral responsibilities of a leader elected to represent others is to nurture progressive and balanced discourse; and that which educates others – especially, in this context, women experiencing gender-based violence of all forms and from all sorts in Pallisa. The magnitude of gender-based violence in Pallisa is regularly the subject of media reports, for example, The Independent’s report: “Pallisa registers increase in gender based violence.”

I am quite happy to partner with others well-meaning for Pallisa and to participate in developing and executing capacity building programs that educate on land rights and on one’s right to fight for what is theirs. My experience after my late father’s death has taught me a lot about the long way that we have to go in Pallisa in promoting and assuring land rights, especially for women and increasingly all youth.

An important lesson, case in point, to be emphasized to our people is that one being appointed heir doesn’t give them the powers over the deceased’s estate. Such powers only come through letters of administration which can be issued to others and not the heir. Exonerating one that hides behind being an heir to commit crime is irresponsible of you as a leader, Mr. Otukol.

Even though Adowa were to be the legitimate heir to my late father, he doesn’t, as all heirs don’t, have the authority to take away that which the deceased had already gifted to others. And when that happens, Mr. Otukol, I agree with you that the best way is to go to court; which I did and court processes are ongoing.

Mr. Otukol, in addition, you are member of the Committee on Equal Opportunities of the 11^th Parliament. The more reason you should please seek to skill yourself on how to practice egalitarian leadership. Invoking fear to shut people up, is unbecoming, as you did when you warned Kakwenza: “let him come back Muhoozi will cane him”.

I cannot believe I have to state this, for it should be obvious. It is irresponsible for you, Mr. Otukol, as an elected leader to glorify and incite violence against people. Moreover, in this case, doing so with a parochial attitude that blinds you from appreciating the negative impact of your utterance.

Furthermore, your image, that of the first son, of the NRM, of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), and of Uganda, at large, are negatively impacted when you invoke the name of the first son and address him as you did, knowing he is the current Chief of Defence Forces of the UPDF.

Let me end by imploring you, please listen to us, your constituents, and learn to engage with decorum.