Uganda Coup Leaders Install New President

Lt. Gen. Tito Okello, Uganda’s armed forces commander, was sworn in today as president to replace ousted civilian leader Milton Obote, but promised democratic elections soon.

At his side at the inauguration ceremony was Brig. Basilio Olara Okello, the most prominent leader of Saturday’s coup. The two Okellos are not related.

In a brief speech before several hundred people outside the Parliament building, Tito Okello said his term as president will be short.

“We realize the will of the people is the basis of government, but we know no free and fair elections would have been organized under (Obote’s) regime,” he said after being sworn in by Saul Musoke, president of the appeals court.

“We have taken over for the sake of peace, stability and full reconciliation. My services to you in this capacity will be short and you will elect a government of your choice.”

Elections Within Year

Earlier, the official Radio Uganda said Okello would form a broad-based interim government and schedule elections within 12 months.

Obote, 60, whose civilian government took office in 1980 after disputed elections, fled to neighboring Kenya with two members of his Cabinet.

The coup leaders have closed the airport, suspended the constitution and sealed the borders in this East African nation of 14 million people.

Okello, 71, came to Kampala on Sunday and said in a radio speech that he had heard about the coup while on “safari” in northern Uganda. However, there had been speculation that the general had gone to the north earlier this month to take command of rebellious army units fighting Obote loyalists.

Tito Okello helped map strategy and Basilio Okello was a field commander during the “liberation war” that toppled military dictator Idi Amin in 1979.