Assassins hit wrong man

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 8

Assassins hit wrong man

NZPA-Reuter Kampala Anti-Government guerrillas yesterday claimed responsibility for an assassination attempt on a Ugandan Minister but said they had attacked the wrong person. A spokesman for the Ugandan Freedom Movement told reporters by telephone that four guerrillas had tried to kill the Minister for Animal Industries and Fisheries (Mr Joseph Otim). But they said they had instead wounded Deputy Minister Okwakolo in a lunch-time grenade attack outside the Ministry building in Kampala. The spokesman said two aides were killed in the attack and a driver and bodyguard seriously wounded. Eye-witnesses told reporters that Mr Otim was wounded in the chest and leg and taken to a nearby hospi-

a tai. Hospital staff and friends . also said it was Mr Otim, a . veterinary surgeon, who had - been wounded. a The eye-witnesses also 1 said one bodyguard was killed. The U.F.M. is one of four 1 guerrilla groups fighting to t oust the government of > President Milton Obote. They 1 say that Dr Obote's Uganda - People’s Congress . rigged elections held last December. 1 More than 150 people have r been killed in the Kampala ( area of Uganda in the past - month, according to hospital > sources and residents, who said most were killed by i troops retaliating against . anti-Government guerrillas. Residents said soldiefs had gunned down civilians at the . scene of raids by guerrillas. 5 Some deaths were caused by r guerrillas and thieves, they ’ said.