Obote ‘fled with cash’

Press, 3 August 1985, Page 11

Obote ‘fled with cash’

NZPA-AP Kampala The Army officers who overthrew Uganda’s civilian Government assert that the ousted President, Milton Obote, went to the Central Bank and looted it of foreign currency before fleeing into exile. The coup leaders offered yesterday to begin talks with guerrillas who had been fighting Mr Obote. They have said elections will be held within a year. The officers installed Mr Paulo Muwanga, Vice-Presi-dent and Defence Minister in the Obote Government, as Prime Minister.

Lieutenant-General Tito Okello, interim head of state and chairman of the ruling military council that took over in the coup last Saturday, said Mr Obote had made off with enough foreign currency to have met Uganda’s needs for three years. He did not say how much money was taken.

General Okello said that Mr Obote and his military chief of staff, Brigadier Smith Opon Acak, entered the Central Bank and took the cash before fleeing to neighbouring Kenya. Brigadier Acak’s appoint-

ment as Chief of Staff over several senior officers was an important element in tribal conflict within the military that led to the rebellion. The brigadier is a member of Mr Obote’s tribe, the Langi.

One of the officers over whom he was promoted was the northern Army commander, Brigadier Basilio Olara Okello, who had helped overthrow the dictator, Idi Amin, in 1979 and led the coup against Mr Obote. He and General Okello, who was military Commander in Chief, are of the Acholi tribe but not related.