Paul Lokech

Paul L'Okech (1 January 1966 – 21 August 2021), was a senior military officer at the rank of Lieutenant General, in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), who was appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Uganda Police Force on 16 December 2020.[1] Between November 2017 and December 2019, he served on special assignment "to monitor on behalf of the guarantors of the South Sudan peace process, the assembling, screening, demobilization and integration of the armed forces of South Sudan".[2]

Major General
Deputy Inspector General of Police

Paul Lokech
Born1 January 1966
Pader District, Uganda
Died21 August 2021(2021-08-21) (aged 55)
Kitikifumba, Uganda
OccupationMilitary officer
TitleDeputy Inspector General of Uganda Police Force

Before that, he served as Chief of Staff of the UPDF Air Force, for a period of five months, from 11 July 2019 until 11 December 2019.[3][4]

Prior to that, from December 2018 until July 2019, he was Commandant of Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC), in Jinja, in the Eastern Region of Uganda.[5] He was appointed to that position in December 2018.[6]

On 21 August 2021, he suffered a fatal, sudden, massive, bilateral pulmonary embolus and died at his home, in Kitikifumba, Kira Town, Wakiso District, in the Central Region of Uganda.[7]

Background

Lokech was born in Pader District, in the Acholi sub-region in the Northern Region of Uganda, circa 1966.[7]

Military career

His military career includes service in various leadership capacities, including two tours as the Commander of the Uganda contingent to Somalia, as part of the AMISOM peace-keeping force. The first tour was between May 2011 and 2012. His second Somalia rotation was from December 2017 until December 2018.[3][8] During his first tour, Lokech commanded Battle Groups Eight and Nine, responsible for ejecting Al-Shabaab militants from Mogadishu in 2011.[9][10]

Before his second tour in Somalia, he was the Commanding Officer of the Second UPDF Division, based at Makenke Barracks, in Mbarara, in the Western Region of Uganda.[11] He has previously served as the Military Attaché at Uganda's Embassy to Russia, based in Moscow.[11]

He has also served as part of Uganda's peace-keeping forces in South Sudan. He was part of Operation Safe Haven (OSH), a UPDF operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo intended to neutralise the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).[12]

Other considerations

In February 2019, President Yoweri Museveni promoted over 2,000 men and women to various ranks in the UPDF. As part of that exercise, Paul Lokech was promoted from Brigadier to Major General. His name was inadvertently left off the original list, and the Uganda military apologized for that omission.[12]

Illness and death

According to newspaper reports, Lokesh suffered a fracture of his right ankle about 3 to 4 weeks before his death. He was managed as an outpatient, by his private orthopedic surgeon. The affected ankle was put in a cast. He was scheduled to see his doctor on the morning of his death.[7]

At autopsy, the team of pathologists found a large blood clot in one of the veins in the right calf, a condition known as deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Proceeding to the lungs, the pathologists found both pulmonary arteries blocked by massive blood clots. They concluded that the patient died from sudden, bilateral massive venous thromboembolism.[7]

He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.[13][14]

See also

References
  1. The Independent (16 December 2020). "What you should know about new deputy IGP Lt Gen Paul Lokech". The Independent (Uganda). Kampala. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  2. Kenneth Kazibwe (18 November 2019). "Exclusive: Museveni sends Lt.Gen.Lokech on "special assignment" in South Sudan". Kampala: Nile Post Uganda. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  3. SoftPower Reporter (14 June 2019). "Major General Paul Lokech Appointed As New UPDAF Chief of Staff". Kampala: SoftPower Uganda. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  4. Teddy Naiga (11 December 2019). "Brig General Okidi takes over office of Chief of Staff Air Force". Kampala: PML Daily. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  5. Lawrence Kazooba (9 February 2019). "Commander Paul Lokech promoted to Major General". Kampala: Watchdoguganda.com. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  6. SoftPower Reporter (22 December 2018). "Museveni Effects New Reshuffle In UPDF". Kampala: SoftPower Uganda. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  7. Faith Amongin (22 August 2021). "Blood clot killed Maj Gen Paul Lokech, Police confirms". Daily Monitor. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. The Independent (21 December 2018). "Brig. Gen. Kabango takes charge of UPDF in Somalia". The Independent (Uganda). Kampala. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  9. AMISOM News (19 December 2019). "New UPDF Contingent Commander arrives in Somalia". Mogadishu: AMISOM. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  10. See: AMISOM mourns the passing of former Sector One Commander, Major General Paul Lokech, AMISOM Press Release PR/22/2021 of 21 August 2021.
  11. Kato, Joseph (20 December 2017). "Brig Lokech returns to Somalia as UPDF contingent commander". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  12. Otucu, Francis (9 February 2019). "Brigadier Lokech Promoted to Major General". Kampala: Second Opinion Publications. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  13. Geoffery Serugo (27 August 2021). "Museveni promotes fallen Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech to Lieutenant General". Eagle Online Uganda. Kampala. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  14. Brian Asiimwe (30 August 2021). "ADF Sent Suicide Bombers To Lokech Funeral - Museveni". SoftPower Uganda. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
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