Erinayo Wilson Oryema
Encyclopedia
Erinayo Wilson Oryema was Uganda
's first African Inspector General
of Police
(1964-1971), Minister of Land, Mineral, and Water Resources (1971-1974) and Minister of Land, Housing and Physical Planning (1974-1977). In February 1977, Oryema, together with Archbishop Janani Luwum
and Interior Minister Charles Oboth Ofumbi, was murdered by security forces of the government of President Idi Amin
.
He was the father of internationally renowned Ugandan musician Geoffrey Oryema
.
in 1939. A year later he was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and the following year to Sub Inspector. He made Inspector of Police in 1951, and Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1954. In 1956 he was regraded to Deputy Superintendent.
Oryema continued with his elevation through the ranks when the colonial government started identifying some African officers to take over the leadership of the force. He was promoted to the rank of Superintendent in 1961. The following year he was promoted, first to Senior Superintendent of Police, then to Assistant Commissioner of Police. In 1963 Oryema was appointed the first African Deputy Inspector General of Police, and the flollowing year, Inspector General of Police. He served in that capacity until 1971.
When Idi Amin took power in 1971, Oryema was made Minister of Minerals and Water resources, and from 1976 he served as a Minister of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning.
and Interior Minister Charles Oboth Ofumbi were arrested. The same day Idi Amin convened a rally in Kampala
with the three accused present. A few other "suspects" were paraded forth to read out "confessions" implicating the three men for planning to stage a coup. The next day, Radio Uganda announced that the three had been killed when the car transporting them to an interrogation center had collided with another vehicle. The accident, Radio Uganda reported, had occurred when the victims had tried to overpower the driver in an attempt to escape. Henry Kyemba
, Minister of Health in Amin's government, later wrote in his book A State of Blood, that "The bodies were bullet-riddled. The archbishop had been shot through the mouth and at least three bullets in the chest. The ministers had been shot in a similar way but one only in the chest and not through the mouth. Oryema had a bullet wound through the leg."
According to the later testimony of witnesses, the victims had been taken to an army barracks, where they were bullied, beaten and finally shot.
Erinayo Oryema was by the time of his death the longest serving minister in Amin’s government. The murder of Oryema and Luwum had profound effects. Their deaths made many realise that no one was safe, and shortly thereafter several of Amin’s ministers defected or fled to exile.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's first African Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
of Police
Uganda Police Force
The Uganda Police Force is the national police force of Uganda. The head of the Force is called the Inspector General of Police . The current IGP is Major General Edward Kale Kayihura. He is a soldier of the UPDF....
(1964-1971), Minister of Land, Mineral, and Water Resources (1971-1974) and Minister of Land, Housing and Physical Planning (1974-1977). In February 1977, Oryema, together with Archbishop Janani Luwum
Janani Luwum
Janani Jakaliya Luwum , was the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and one of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa. He was murdered in 1977 by either Idi Amin personally or by Amin's henchmen.-Early life and career:Luwum was born in the village of Mucwini in...
and Interior Minister Charles Oboth Ofumbi, was murdered by security forces of the government of President Idi Amin
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
.
He was the father of internationally renowned Ugandan musician Geoffrey Oryema
Geoffrey Oryema
Geoffrey Oryema is an internationally renowned Ugandan musician. In 1977, at the age of 24 and at the height of Idi Amin's power, Oryema was smuggled across the Ugandan border in the trunk of a car, after the death of his father, Erinayo Wilson Oryema, who was a cabinet minister, beginning a life...
.
Career
Erinayo Wilson Oryema was enlisted in the Uganda Police ForceUganda Police Force
The Uganda Police Force is the national police force of Uganda. The head of the Force is called the Inspector General of Police . The current IGP is Major General Edward Kale Kayihura. He is a soldier of the UPDF....
in 1939. A year later he was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and the following year to Sub Inspector. He made Inspector of Police in 1951, and Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1954. In 1956 he was regraded to Deputy Superintendent.
Oryema continued with his elevation through the ranks when the colonial government started identifying some African officers to take over the leadership of the force. He was promoted to the rank of Superintendent in 1961. The following year he was promoted, first to Senior Superintendent of Police, then to Assistant Commissioner of Police. In 1963 Oryema was appointed the first African Deputy Inspector General of Police, and the flollowing year, Inspector General of Police. He served in that capacity until 1971.
When Idi Amin took power in 1971, Oryema was made Minister of Minerals and Water resources, and from 1976 he served as a Minister of Lands, Housing and Physical Planning.
Death
On 16 February 1977, Oryema, Archbishop Janani LuwumJanani Luwum
Janani Jakaliya Luwum , was the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda from 1974 to 1977 and one of the most influential leaders of the modern church in Africa. He was murdered in 1977 by either Idi Amin personally or by Amin's henchmen.-Early life and career:Luwum was born in the village of Mucwini in...
and Interior Minister Charles Oboth Ofumbi were arrested. The same day Idi Amin convened a rally in Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
with the three accused present. A few other "suspects" were paraded forth to read out "confessions" implicating the three men for planning to stage a coup. The next day, Radio Uganda announced that the three had been killed when the car transporting them to an interrogation center had collided with another vehicle. The accident, Radio Uganda reported, had occurred when the victims had tried to overpower the driver in an attempt to escape. Henry Kyemba
Henry Kyemba
Henry Kyemba is a Ugandan political figure who held several high positions and finally became Minister of Health during Uganda's rule by Idi Amin. He is also the author of State of Blood, a 1977 book he wrote after his flight from Uganda that describes Amin's tyrannical rule.-References:...
, Minister of Health in Amin's government, later wrote in his book A State of Blood, that "The bodies were bullet-riddled. The archbishop had been shot through the mouth and at least three bullets in the chest. The ministers had been shot in a similar way but one only in the chest and not through the mouth. Oryema had a bullet wound through the leg."
According to the later testimony of witnesses, the victims had been taken to an army barracks, where they were bullied, beaten and finally shot.
Erinayo Oryema was by the time of his death the longest serving minister in Amin’s government. The murder of Oryema and Luwum had profound effects. Their deaths made many realise that no one was safe, and shortly thereafter several of Amin’s ministers defected or fled to exile.
External links
- When dying was easier than living. Daily Monitor