UGANDA: MUSEVENI HAS FORGOTTEN FORMER FRONASA MEMBERS AND AWERE DOLA TRAINING CAMP

The Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) Camp in Awere, Omoro District has been neglected despite its importance as one of the cradle lands for the then rebel outfit.
For starters, FRONASA Is one of the liberation organisations that toppled the notorious President Idi Amin’s Government in 1979, it was founded in 1971, and was headed by the current President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
Dola Training Camp in Awere Sub-County, Omoro District is reputed as one of the first training camps for FRONASA. Most of the FRONASA founding members from Acholi have since passed on, but are survived by their sons and daughters who now claim they have been forgotten despite their fathers’ contribution to the liberation struggle in Uganda.
“If we are considered the same way as other founding fathers (of FRONASA), we would be rewarded with awards, state scholarships and fat government jobs in honour of the departed ones,” said Engineer Terence Odonga, one of the children of the FRONASA founders.
“Some of us who made Gulu City road infrastructure could have been a minister that would not be retired,” complained Eng. Terence Odonga.

Engineer Terence Odonga, a survivor of FRONASA liberator (Photo by Okumu Livingstone Langol).

OMORO DISTRICT WED. 5, 2025
By Okumu Livingstone Langol
Dola Forest, the FRONASA training Camp is sandwiched by streams: Agwentina, Lupwoo, Lamirwot, Okoda and Ajan streams confluenced by Awere Hills..
As soon as Major Gen. Idi Amin, then Uganda Army Commander staged a coup de tat against the Apollo Milton Obote I Government in 1971, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni proudly revealed he had fled into exile in Tanzania to begin recruitment to topple President Idi Amin. He soon founded FRONASA along with some gallant sons of Acholi, notably Lino Okuya and Jacob Okello Agwa among others.
The two, Lino Okuya and Jacob Okello Agwa along with Museveni were among the survivors since some of their members from Awere were captured and killed.
How Yoweri Museveni got into contact with Major Okuya Lino
By 1972, Ben Okwarmoi was in Kitante High Secondary School waiting to sit for his Cambridge Certificate when his Cousin Jacob Okello Agwa the then Under Secretary with Uganda Development Cooperation (UDC), instructed him to take two visitors to meet Lino Okuya in Awere.
Ben Okwarmoi narrates that the visitors whom he did not know before, but later on was told that they were Yoweri Museveni and Eriya Kategaya accompanied him, as a guide, with whom they took off from Kampala in the morning enroute Gulu Town, and embarked on a 54-mile journey to Awere using Badurudin Bus. One of the visitors sat up-front the bus, while the other was at the hind seat. They finally made it to Ajan Village in Awere where they met their host, Lino Okuya.
Eng. Odonga Terence former Gulu City Engineer says he lives with pain to witness how the FRONASA military training camp has been neglected given its legacy as a cradle land for a prominent armed rebellion that toppled the notorious dictator Idi Amin’s Government. He says Awere should have gained from development the way Luwero Triangle is now gaining with good infrastructure and several government projects..
“Awere community sacrificed their lives in the 1970s as FRONASA collaborators with lots of people living under military threats. “Amin particularly targeted the Acholi and many of them lost their lives in the struggle. “Survivors fled into exile and several others joined the struggle to topple the dictator’s government. “The current President Yoweri Museveni mobilised our clan members, notably, Jacob Okello Agwa and Lino Okuya. “He contacted them and together, they planned the training camp in Dola Forest in Awere,” Engineer Odonga revealed.
“They started FRONASA and that, attracted so many people within Awere especially among the Lamala clan like Okuda, Moro Ongece, Lugayi George, Obato Okello, Yasoni Moro amongst others who became military instructors.” The engineer narrated.
“In 1973, President Amin, with the aid of his intelligence attacked Awere where Museveni and Major Okuya Lino were conducting guerilla training. “Fortunately, Okuya, Museveni and Labeja John escaped unhurt. “Lakwor Peter Lawoko, the elder brother of Okuya Lino was killed in that attack of 1973. Dola Forest Training Camp was, however, never abandoned, people remained in the training until Labeja John was sent to go and pick guns from Atiak from Akena P’Ojok. On their way back from Atiak at Custom’s Corner, they were intercepted by Amin’s military men who arrested them and later executed them by firing squad at Boma Ground in Gulu Town. “The killing spot of Labeja John and Obwona Amos by Amin’s henchmen is near where the current Gulu Blood Bank offices are located,” Eng. Terence Odonga narrated.
“Following the firing squad FRONASA movement in Awere weakened because the leaders: Museveni, Okuya Lino and Okello Agwa fled to exile. “The trio remained to ultimately cause the liberation in 1979 along with other outfits such as Dr. Milton Obote, Bazilio Olara Okello’s Kikosi Maalum combined with Tanzania Defense Forces (TDF),” narrated Eng. Terence Odonga.
“With the demise of Okuya Lino, Okello Agwa and other sons and daughters of Awere, few of the former FRONASA members were able to join Museveni’s bush struggle in Luwero Triangle that led to the toppling of Tito Okello Lutwa military Government in 1986. “Tito Okello Lutwa’s government came into power in 1985 after a fallout with Obote II Government that Museveni’s new rebel outfit, the National Resistance Movement fought against way back in 1980. “Museveni decided to go to the bush after claiming that the 1980 elections that Obote won was rigged in his favour. “Yoweri K. Museveni has since 1986 remained in power as his Awere compatriots are nowhere near power,” complained Eng. Odonga.
A bitter. Eng. Odonga Terence complains that his father gave Museveni a military ground and even offered him materials help but now they are forgotten.
“The effects of the war there (in Awere) was very big because many people abandoned their home for fear of Amin’s’ henchmen attacks. “Today we have very low level of education, very low level of jobs opportunities and without poverty alleviation recovery program apart from Parish Development Programme. “Our people are wallowing in poverty, ignorance and disease,” Eng. Odonga complained..
“What I see in the Luwero Triangle where Museveni waged five years of bush war, the people are supported but when I look back home where Dola Forest was also instrumental in the liberation struggle, people remain steeped in poverty,” Eng. Terence Odonga complained.
If we were considered the same way as founding fathers of liberation or their children, there could be some recognition, hero awards, state scholarships, government jobs and institutions founded in the names of those heroes,” the engineer asserted.
In a twist of events, Ben Okwarmoi who escorted and guided Museveni and Eriya Kategaya to one of the cradle lands of the FRONASA movement in Awere had one of his sons, Dr. Samuel Ochora, 32, a veterinary officer mysteriously gunned down under the Museveni long regime. Ben Okwarmoi’s son, Dr. Samuel Ochora was reputed for bureaucracy that undermined land grabs in Acholi by the Balaalo herdsmen believed to be protected by the state.
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