President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed that fallen Minister of State for Labour and Industrial Relations, Col Charles Okello Macodwogo Engola, be accorded an official State funeral.
The directive was revealed yesterday evening by the Minister in Charge of the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda while addressing the media shortly after visiting the home of the late Charles Engola in Kyanja a Kampala suburb where he was shot dead by his bodyguard.
Minister Babalanda said that the government will coordinate the burial of the late Col Engola in collaboration with his family led by the Minister of Gender Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi.
Minister Amongi revealed that a tentative program for the official send off of late Engola has been prepared and he will be buried in his village in Awangi Iceme in Oyam District on May 13, 2023.
According to Minister Amongi, there will be official funeral prayers at the deceased home from May 7th -9th, 2023 in Kyanja and a funeral service will take place at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala on May 10, May at 10:00 am before proceeding to Parliament for paying of tributes at 2:00 pm by legislators and official home Vigil in Kyanja on same day starting at 6:00pm.
Minister Amongi said that the body of the late Col Engola will on Thursday May 11, 2023 be airlifted to Oyam District Headquarters at 10:00am, where Lango Sub-regional joint council will convene at Boma Grounds in Oyam for special Council Session to pay their tributes.
This will be funeral service at St. Nathan Church of Uganda and then proceed at his official residence at Awangi village in Iceme Sub-County in Oyam District where the body will lie on Friday May 12 for local mourners to pay their last respect and burial will take place on Saturday May 13, 2023, starting with a funeral service and paying last respect at Acet primary school in Iceme Sub-County.
Meanwhile the Speaker of Parliament the Anita Among yesterday evening joined family and friends in mourning the death of Minister Engola whose life was cut short in a shootout that occurred earlier in the day.
She eulogised the late as a great patriot, whose legacy will live on and extended heartfelt sympathies to the President of Uganda, the family and friends.
