When Kenya and Uganda behaved like real sisters

President Milton Obote opening Uganda Hall at Egerton College in Njoro, Nakuru. Looking on is the principal of the college William Odongo Omamo. Nov 1968. [File, Standard]

It is not every day that a university dropout secures a job as a labourer. Strange still is a labourer working his way to the presidency. There was a time Africa was full of promise and children born during this golden age could be whatever they dared to dream. This promise and validity of peasants’ dreams are epitomised by Dr Milton Apolo Obote.  

Although he had been born in the remote Lira region, Obote had worked and ended up at Makerere University. He, however, dropped out of university in unclear circumstances and later showed up in Kenya as a labourer employed by Mowlem.