The State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col (rtd) Charles Okello Engola(Photo/Courtesy)
By Juma Kakkomo|
The State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Col (rtd) Charles Okello Engola has been shot dead. Col (rtd) Engola was shot Tuesday morning by his bodyguard at his home in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb.
The Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigire confirmed the incident.
It is not yet clear whether there was an argument between the soldier and the deceased. The soldier is identified as Private Wilson Sabiiti, and then shot himself dead. Before turning the gun on himself, some eyewitness said the soldier walked around the neighborhood shooting in the air accusing the minister of mistreatment and delayed pay saying “he cannot be broke yet he works for the whole minister”.
According to an eyewitness, the guard said he hadn’t been paid Shs4m. He said he had a pregnant woman and his children were not going to school yet the minister’s kids were schooling. Col Engola was a senior government official, and had previously served as a deputy minister for defense.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson ASP Luke Owoyesigyire confirmed that police had cordoned off the crime scene and said a detailed statement would follow later.
“Yes, there is a shooting where a soldier has shot his boss and he actually shot himself too” Luke tweeted.
The Speaker of parliament also confirmed Col Engola’s death in a short statement while presiding over the morning session.
“This morning I received sad news that Hon Engola has been shot by his bodyguard and after, shot himself. That was God’s plan. We can’t change anything,” Anita Among said.
The minister for Gender, lobour and social development, Betty Amongi is among the government officials who immediately arrived at minister Engola’s home in Kyanja after receiving news of the death of Engola.
Background and education
Engola’s parents were Nathan Engola and Ketula Engola. His father was a well known and respected chief in Lango. Engola was born on 12 October 1958 in present-day Oyam District. He attended local primary school.
According to his profile at the website of Uganda’s parliament, he obtained his High School Diploma from Soroti Secondary School, in the city of Soroti, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. His first degree, a Bachelor of Development Studies, was awarded by Kampala International University (KIU), in 2010.
His second degree, a Master of Public Administration and Management was also obtained from KIU, in 2013.
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 for 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 is the incumbent Member of Parliament.
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.
