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Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) Party president Olara Otunnu has described his rare public photo moment with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in Gulu City as a surprise, saying the moment was not planned. The two leaders briefly met and posed for photographs on Saturday at Kaunda parade grounds during homecoming celebrations held in honour of Chief Justice Emeritus Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo.
The unexpected interaction between Museveni and Otunnu drew loud applause from residents who had gathered for the celebrations, with many witnessing the two men shake hands and exchange words in public for the first time. Otunnu, a former presidential candidate under UPC in the 2011 general elections and a longtime critic of Museveni’s administration, appeared hesitant at first before eventually joining the President and Owiny-Dollo for the photo. It took several local leaders a few minutes to convince Otunnu to return to the podium for the photo opportunity with the head of state.
In an exclusive interview with Uganda Radio Network on Sunday, Otunnu said the moment caught him by surprise because it had not been arranged beforehand. “Actually, this is not the first time the President and I have shaken hands,” Otunnu said. “But the photograph with the three of us was not pre-arranged. Usually these things are organised ahead of time, but this one was spontaneous, and I did not know about it,” said Otunnu. He explained that his name was initially called during a general group photograph, after which he returned to his seat before organisers approached him again, requesting that he join the President and Owiny-Dollo for a special photo.
Otunnu noted that while the moment appeared unusual to many Ugandans, he and Museveni had interacted on several occasions in the past, including during the consecration of Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop emeritus Rt Rev Johnson Gakumba. He also noted that he had another opportunity in the 2011 centenary celebration for Gulu Archdiocese and other international meetings when he served at the United Nations.
A former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Otunnu returned to Uganda in August 2009 after more than two decades abroad. Despite their long-standing political differences, Otunnu said he welcomed Museveni’s decision to support the Rocco Paco initiative, a community revival programme aimed at rebuilding the social and economic fabric of the Acholi sub-region.
“We welcome the President’s acceptance of Rocco Paco because the initiative welcomes all persons of goodwill who share the vision of restoring and rebuilding this society,” Otunnu said. However, he stressed that the real test would be whether the government follows the commitment with concrete support for the programme. The Rocco Paco initiative, founded in 2024, is being championed by Owiny-Dollo and Otunnu as a grassroots effort to revive livelihoods and rebuild communities in northern Uganda following decades of conflict and social disruption.
During his speech, Museveni welcomed the Rocco Paco community revival initiative championed by Owiny-Dollo and Otunnu, saying he was pleased that the programme had brought the two leaders onto the same page on issues of household wealth creation. “So I am happy that his Lordship Owiny-Dollo has seen this, and I was thinking he was in convergence on this matter. And he has brought along Olara Otunnu also, because Olara Otunnu sometimes is in another direction, but now he is speaking the same language,” Museveni said.
The President encouraged Owiny-Dollo to continue championing the initiative, pledging government support and noting that the programme aligns with the wealth creation agenda promoted by the ruling National Resistance Movement government. However, veteran journalist and political analyst Alex Okoya cautioned against interpreting the photo moment as a political shift by Otunnu.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network on Sunday, Okoya said Otunnu’s hesitation before joining the photo session suggested he remains firm in his political stance. “The photo moment does not mean Otunnu has changed course,” Okoya said. “He is a close friend of Justice Owiny-Dollo, but his conscience remains clear,” said Okoya. Okoya added that Otunnu’s caution reflects cultural considerations and his desire to maintain personal integrity.
“In Acholi tradition, there are certain things you do not share with someone you have serious issues with. Otunnu understands what he is doing. He is an exposed person, and he is also trying to protect his integrity,” Okoya said. Otunnu has previously been a vocal critic of the government and has in the past called for investigations into alleged atrocities committed by the National Resistance Army in Luwero Triangle and northern Uganda during the conflict that brought the National Resistance Movement government to power in 1986.
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