Jeremiah Lucas Opira
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah Lucas Opira was a Ugandan politician and the National Executive Secretary of the Uganda National Liberation Front
(UNLF) 1979-1980. The UNLF and its military wing UNLA removed Idi Amin
from power with the support of the Tanzania People's Defence Force
on April 11, 1979. He worked for consolidation of national unity in Uganda and the return of kingdoms which he believed would be a unifying factor in Uganda. He instigated investigations into the Ugandan and East African pre-European history, and wrote articles on this subject and on African politics. He died of heart failure in November 2000.
in Chua County, Acholi, Northern Uganda. He received his primary education in the Church Mission Society
(CMS Kitgum Primary School) and later in Kenya at Ribe Methodist Junior Secondary School, Mombasa
, and Shimo La Tewa Senior Secondary School. Prior to his political career, he worked as a teacher and headmaster after qualifying in 1953 from Uganda Teachers College Buwalasi. He became popularly known in his native Luo
as "Lapwony" which means teacher. He continued to study for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination which he completed in 1959.
After joining the Ugandan government, Opira studied at the Institute of Public Administration, office of the Prime Minister of Israel
(1963-1964). He was later appointed Assistant Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister of Uganda
and received promotions, including one for saving the life of the King Sir Edward Mutesa II from an assassination attempt by Idi Amin in 1966. Opira also served as Organisation of African Unity expert during the Congo crisis. By January 1971 he was the Deputy Chief General Service Officer/Deputy Permanent Cabinet Secretary and Functional Chief Political Advisor in the Office of the President. He fled Uganda and went into exile immediately after the military coup in 1971
. He spent the first years of exile in Tanzania, yet was detained for political reasons and imprisoned for 18 months between 1972-1974.
In 1974 he left East Africa for exile in Sweden. While in Sweden he studied economics and political science at a post-graduate level. He obtained a Swedish Fil.kand. degree from Lund University
. In 1977 his maternal uncle Archbishop Janani Luwum
was murdered along with two cabinet ministers, Erenayo Wilson Oryema and Charles Oboth Ofumbi. Opira played a key role in founding the UNLF and facilitating the Moshi conference that led to the fall of Idi Amin. He was therefore subsequently appointed the National Executive Secretary 1979-1980. During the 1980 General Elections he campaigned briefly as vice-chairman of the Uganda Patriotic Movement
. Due to conditions in Uganda and the death of his youngest son, he left once again for Sweden in September of the same year, before elections were held. He later returned to Uganda in 1985 and was appointed Chief Executive Director of the Uganda Board of Trade. He is survived by his widow "mama Sammy" whom he married on New Year's Eve 1955, and children.
Uganda National Liberation Front
The Uganda National Liberation Front was a political group formed by exiled Ugandans opposed to the rule of Idi Amin with an accompanying military wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army . UNLA fought alongside Tanzanian forces in the Uganda-Tanzania War that led to the overthrow of Idi Amin's...
(UNLF) 1979-1980. The UNLF and its military wing UNLA removed 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...
from power with the support of the Tanzania People's Defence Force
Tanzania People's Defence Force
The Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force was set up in September 1964. From its inception, it was ingrained in the troops that they were a people’s force under civilian control. They were always reminded of their difference from the colonial armed forces...
on April 11, 1979. He worked for consolidation of national unity in Uganda and the return of kingdoms which he believed would be a unifying factor in Uganda. He instigated investigations into the Ugandan and East African pre-European history, and wrote articles on this subject and on African politics. He died of heart failure in November 2000.
Biography
Jeremiah Opira was born in Namokora, Kitgum DistrictKitgum District
Kitgum District is a district in Northern Uganda. It is named after its 'chief town' of Kitgum, where the district headquarters is located.-Location:...
in Chua County, Acholi, Northern Uganda. He received his primary education in the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
(CMS Kitgum Primary School) and later in Kenya at Ribe Methodist Junior Secondary School, Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, and Shimo La Tewa Senior Secondary School. Prior to his political career, he worked as a teacher and headmaster after qualifying in 1953 from Uganda Teachers College Buwalasi. He became popularly known in his native Luo
Luo languages
The Nilotic Luo languages, or Lwoian, are a dozen languages spoken by the Luo peoples in an area ranging from southern Sudan via Uganda to southern Kenya, with Dholuo extending into northern Tanzania and Alur into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They form one of the two branches of Western...
as "Lapwony" which means teacher. He continued to study for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination which he completed in 1959.
After joining the Ugandan government, Opira studied at the Institute of Public Administration, office of the Prime Minister of Israel
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
(1963-1964). He was later appointed Assistant Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister of Uganda
Prime Minister of Uganda
-List of Prime Ministers of Uganda:-Affiliations:-See also:*Uganda*President of Uganda*Vice President of Uganda*Politics of Uganda*History of Uganda*Political parties of Uganda...
and received promotions, including one for saving the life of the King Sir Edward Mutesa II from an assassination attempt by Idi Amin in 1966. Opira also served as Organisation of African Unity expert during the Congo crisis. By January 1971 he was the Deputy Chief General Service Officer/Deputy Permanent Cabinet Secretary and Functional Chief Political Advisor in the Office of the President. He fled Uganda and went into exile immediately after the military coup in 1971
1971 Ugandan coup d'état
The 1971 Ugandan coup d'état was a military coup d'état executed by the Ugandan military, led by General Idi Amin, against the government of President Milton Obote on January 25, 1971...
. He spent the first years of exile in Tanzania, yet was detained for political reasons and imprisoned for 18 months between 1972-1974.
In 1974 he left East Africa for exile in Sweden. While in Sweden he studied economics and political science at a post-graduate level. He obtained a Swedish Fil.kand. degree from Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
. In 1977 his maternal uncle 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...
was murdered along with two cabinet ministers, Erenayo Wilson Oryema and Charles Oboth Ofumbi. Opira played a key role in founding the UNLF and facilitating the Moshi conference that led to the fall of Idi Amin. He was therefore subsequently appointed the National Executive Secretary 1979-1980. During the 1980 General Elections he campaigned briefly as vice-chairman of the Uganda Patriotic Movement
Uganda Patriotic Movement
The Uganda Patriotic Movement is a defunct political party in Uganda. It was founded by Yoweri Museveni and participated in the December 1980 general elections, which were won by Milton Obote's Uganda People's Congress...
. Due to conditions in Uganda and the death of his youngest son, he left once again for Sweden in September of the same year, before elections were held. He later returned to Uganda in 1985 and was appointed Chief Executive Director of the Uganda Board of Trade. He is survived by his widow "mama Sammy" whom he married on New Year's Eve 1955, and children.