Aruu County MP Odonga Otto has said he could not fight back when he was allegedly punched by his Kilak North counterpart Anthony Akol because the latter is a giant who would have hurt him
Speaking from Nakasero hospital where he was taken after the alleged fight on Thursday, January 30, 2020, Otto also demanded disciplinary action against his colleague.
“I am out of danger, I did not fight back. Akol is half the size of an elephant. These are people who eat game meat near the park, I wouldn’t fight back. It is even uncivilized to fight in Parliament. I will raise the issue on the floor of Parliament. Hon. Akol should be taken to the disciplinary committee. The CCTV cameras captured everything,” he said.
Otto also confirmed that he sustained minor injuries.
“The doctors at Nakasero have told me I have a slight tissue injury, slight swell in my right eye but I am okay and ready to work,” he said.
The two lawmakers exchanged blows at Parliament over claims that Mr Otto was telling Akol’s voters to eject him from the House for selling their land in Amuru to government.
The fight, which started in the Parliament premises in the pigeon hall lobby on Thursday, January 30, 2020, started after Akol accused Otto of de-campaigning him over government compensation for a disputed land at Lakang in Amuru district.
At the weekend, Odonga was reportedly in the area in which he asked voters not to re-elect Akol, accusing him of selling the said land to the government at the tune of Shs300m.
Otto admitted that he was in Akol’s constituency in Amuru over the weekend and made the claims that his colleague had received UGX.300m. “Our position as the Acholi parliamentary group is that we are willing to lease the land for a short time and not an outright sale. However, Akol and the LC5 chairperson went and picked over Shs300m and this I raised in front of the voters.,” Otto said.
Eyewitnesses say Mr Akol accosted Mr. Otto around the pigeonhole area and asked him why he was decampaigning him.
Mr Akol reportedly warned Mr Otto that if he kept on accusing him, he would act badly.
It is alleged that Mr Otto didn’t deny the allegations insisting that indeed Mr. Akol sold the land, prompting Akol to punch him. The Gulu Municipality MP, Lyandro Komakech quickly intervened to restrain Akol.
