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13-521: In January 1986, the government of Ugandan President Tito Okello was overthrown by the rebel National Resistance Army (NRA) under the command of Yoweri Museveni , which took the capital city of Kampala . By March 1986, NRA forces had occupied the traditional land of the Acholis , from which President Okello came. In the same month, former government Uganda National Liberation Army soldiers from Acholiland who had sought sanctuary in southern Sudan formed

26-513: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This African military article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Tito Okello Tito Lutwa Okello (1914 – 3 June 1996) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the eighth president of Uganda from 29 July 1985 until 26 January 1986. Tito Okello was born into an ethnic Acholi family in circa 1914 in Namukora, Kitgum District . He joined

39-505: The Acholi -dominated officer corps, including Olara-Okello and General Tito Okello , by appointing his fellow ethnic Lango , Brigadier Smith Opon Acak, as army Chief of Staff. On 27 July 1985, an army brigade of the UNLA commanded by Olara-Okello, and composed mostly of Acholi troops, staged a coup d'état against Milton Obote 's government and seized power. The National Assembly was dissolved and

52-578: The Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Auma , which promised a millenarian vision of earthly paradise or similar chiliastic groups that had sprung up, including the Uganda People's Democratic Christian Army led by Joseph Rao Kony that would become the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). After a year of increasingly desperate operations, including fierce battles among the various Acholi rebel groups for resources,

65-615: The King's African Rifles in 1940 and served in the East African Campaign of World War II . As a career military officer, he had a variety of assignments. As a follower of President Milton Obote , Okello went into exile following the 1971 coup d'état that resulted in Idi Amin becoming Uganda's new ruler. In 1972, rebels invaded Uganda to restore Obote. Okello was one of the leaders of an insurgent group which targeted Masaka . The invasion

78-672: The Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) that together with the Tanzanian army organized the coup d'état that overthrew Idi Amin in 1979. In 1985, he was briefly the chairman of the ruling Military Council and de facto head of state of Uganda , and later, lieutenant-general and chief of the armed forces. During the civil war in Uganda between the UNLA (which was now the national army) and Yoweri Museveni 's National Resistance Army , president Milton Obote alienated much of

91-627: The coup d'état that toppled President Obote. Okello ruled as president for six months until he had to transfer power to the National Resistance Army (NRA) operating under the leadership of the current president, Yoweri Museveni . He went into exile in Kenya after his tenure was forcefully terminated by Museveni. Tito Okello's son Henry Oryem Okello is the current State Minister for Foreign Affairs responsible for International Affairs. In 2002, Tito Okello's younger brother, Erisanweri Opira ,

104-561: The LRA, most of his officers realized that their military situation was hopeless and, by early 1989, the UPDA had ceased to exist. At the time of its foundation, the UPDA was organized into two divisions, split into several brigades. Though the group included many ex-UNLA veterans who had considerable combat experience, the UPDA units were usually much weaker than their respective names suggested. The known units included: This Uganda -related article

117-531: The UPDA signed an accord with the government on 3 June 1988 that called for an end to the conflict and a democratic government. The negotiations were exceptional in that they were carried out by military officers of the UPDA and the NRA. The political wing of the UPDA and the National Resistance Movement were excluded from the talks. While the UPDA founder Odong Latek refused to accept the accord and joined

130-512: The rebel Uganda People's Democratic Army to force the NRA out of the North and regain the Acholi's previous status. By late 1986, the UPDA had proved unable to retake towns. Though it controlled much of the countryside, it was clearly losing. Many rebels deserted, and smaller units spun off into semi-banditry. Many Acholi refused to accept the logical conclusion that resistance was futile and began to support

143-541: Was abducted from his home in Kitgum District by the rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). His abduction was considered unusual as the LRA usually kidnapped teenagers and young people to use as prospective soldiers or sex slaves. Opira was in his late seventies when he was abducted. Okello remained in exile until 1993, when he was granted amnesty by President Museveni and returned to Kampala. He died three years later, of an undisclosed illness, on 3 June 1996. He

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156-533: Was almost 82 years old at the time of his death. He was buried at his ancestral home in Kitgum District. In January 2010, Okello was posthumously awarded the Kagera National Medal of Honour for fighting against the Idi Amin dictatorship in the 1970s. Bazilio Olara-Okello Bazilio Olara-Okello (1929 – 9 January 1990) was a Ugandan military officer and one of the commanders of

169-639: Was defeated by loyalist Uganda Army troops. Okello took part in the Uganda–Tanzania War . He was one of the commanders in the coalition between the Tanzania People's Defence Force and the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) that removed Amin from power in 1979. In 1980, Obote was restored to presidency. Okello was selected to be the Commander of the UNLA from 1980 to 1985. In July 1985, together with Bazilio Olara-Okello , Tito Lutwa Okello staged

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