Agency
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 Mega Fm on Sunday, Otunnu said the moment caught him by surprise because it had not been arranged beforehand.
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.
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.
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.
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.
