Charles Oboth Ofumbi

Arphaxad Charles Kole Oboth Ofumbi (July 1932 – 16 February 1977) was a Ugandan Minister, serving as Interior Minister at the time of his death in 1977.[1] A member of the Jopadhola group, he had several children with his wife Elizabeth. His ancestral home is in Nyamalogo, Mulanda, in Tororo District.[2]

Charles Oboth Ofumbi
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office
12 October 1973 – 16 February 1977
PresidentIdi Amin
Preceded byLt. Col. Ernest Obitre Gama
Succeeded byMustafa Adrisi
Minister of Defence
In office
2 February 1971 – 1973
PresidentIdi Amin
Acting President of Uganda
In office
February 1971 – February 1971
PresidentIdi Amin
Personal details
Born
Arphaxad Charles Kole Oboth Ofumbi

July 1932
Nyamalogo, Mulanda, in Tororo District, in the Eastern Region, of Uganda
Died16 February 1977
Kampala, Uganda
SpouseElizabeth Oboth-Ofumbi
ChildrenSeveral
Alma materMbarara High School, Kings College Budo
OccupationMinister of Internal Affairs of Uganda, Politician
ProfessionPolitician

Education

Oboth Ofumbi was educated at Mbarara High School and Kings College Budo. He went to primary school at Kisoko Primary School.[3]

Career

Having worked previously as a financial assistant in the district, Oboth Ofumbi was appointed District Commissioner for Bukedi District in Eastern Uganda in 1960. By 1963, he had moved from being a district administrator in Gulu to being the assistant secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister. Under the Government of Milton Obote he was successively a chief accountant in the Defence ministry, acting Defence Minister and finally Defence Minister (1971). A good relationship with Idi Amin ensured that Oboth Ofumbi kept the role following Amin's coup in January 1971, serving as Defence Minister until 1973.[4]

Death

Oboth Ofumbi died while awaiting trial for his part in an alleged coup attempt. It is generally accepted that he was murdered under the orders of President Idi Amin, although the official account is of a car accident.[4] Archbishop Janani Luwum and land minister Lt Col Erinayo Oryema were killed in the same incident.[4] In July 2015, President Yoweri Museveni attended a service in his honour, outlining Oboth Ofumbi's apparent struggle against the Amin regime.[2]

Authorship

Oboth Ofumbi wrote "History & Customs of the Jopadhola" in 1960, one of the first ethnographies of the Adhola people.[5]

Bibliography

References
  1. "Ofumbi knew too much to stay alive". New Vision. 23 April 2013. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  2. "Museveni sums up Amin era as dictatorial & barbaric". The Insider. 28 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  3. Wilson, E. G. (1966). Who's Who in East Africa 1965-1966. London: Marco Publishers (Africa) Limited.
  4. Henry Lubega (26 July 2015). "Oboth Ofumbi's nine days as acting president". Daily Monitor. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  5. Europa Publications (1977). Africa South of the Sahara: 1977. London: Europa Publications.
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