By Our Reporter

Chaos is reportedly brewing in Butebo, Pallisa District, as relatives of the late Lt. Oscar Akol have petitioned the Deputy Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Sam Okiding, to urgently intervene in a dispute involving the deceased officer’s estate, administrative rights, and alleged continued access to military benefits by his widow, Sarah Inachu.

Lt. Oscar Akol, who passed away in May 2012, was the son of the late Stephen Oscar Malinga, a respected Ugandan medical doctor and former Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees. The younger Akol died following a tragic fire incident involving a vehicle that was being repaired at his residence in Mutungo, a suburb of Kampala. He left behind two children with his then-wife, Sarah Inachu.

Inachu, who recently contested for the Woman Member of Parliament seat for Soroti City under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket but lost, is now at the center of a growing family dispute.

 According to close relatives of the late officer, disagreements between Inachu and the Akol family had persisted for years before she officially remarried Mr. Adepo Sam, a relative of State Minister for Fisheries and Serere District Woman MP, Hellen Adoa.

Family members allege that despite her remarriage, Inachu continues to exercise administrative authority over the late officer’s estate and to benefit from privileges allegedly attached to his service in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF). They argue that under the UPDF Act, a widow who remarries ceases to be entitled to certain emoluments and benefits linked to her deceased husband’s military service.

“As a family, we have no issue with her remarriage. That is her personal decision,” one elder who preferred anonymity for security reasons said. “But by law and by custom, she is no longer part of this family. She should therefore stop taking charge of administrative rights over our late son’s estate, including any UPDF-related benefits.”

The relatives further claim that they have been denied access to the two children left behind by the late Lt. Akol. According to them, this has complicated matters concerning the management of family land and other investments the deceased reportedly established in Butebo, Mutungo – Kampala and elsewhere.

“The children have been taken away from us, yet their father left behind substantial land and other resources here,” another family member stated. “We are now stuck on what to do with this land and how to safeguard it for the rightful beneficiaries.”

The family has formally petitioned Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, urging him to direct relevant UPDF departments to review the matter and clarify whether Inachu remains legally entitled to any military benefits following her remarriage. They argue that prompt intervention is necessary to prevent further escalation of tensions within the community and to secure the future of the children.

Community leaders in Butebo have reportedly expressed concern over the growing friction, warning that the matter, if not handled swiftly and transparently, could deepen divisions and fuel further unrest.

Efforts to obtain a response from Sarah Inachu were unsuccessful by press time. Calls to her known telephone contacts went unanswered.

As the dispute unfolds, observers say the case raises broader questions about the interpretation and enforcement of military benefit provisions under the UPDF Act, particularly in cases involving remarriage. The family insists their petition is not politically motivated but aimed at ensuring that the rights of the children and the integrity of the deceased officer’s legacy are protected.

All eyes are now on the UPDF leadership and Lt. Gen. Okiding’s office as the family awaits an official response to their appeal for intervention.