Linda Agnes Auma, the daughter of Major General David Oyite Ojok, took to X to pay tribute to her late father.
Auma, currently serving as the Lira District Woman Member of Parliament, reflected on her father’s passing, acknowledging that she was "too young to fully grasp the weight of his departure" at the time.
Below is the tribute:
"When my father passed away, I was just a young child, too young to fully grasp the weight of his departure. Yet, even in my earliest memories, his presence looms large—a hero to the nation and a loving father. His warmth and care shaped my earliest days.
"As I grew older, I came to understand the magnitude of his sacrifice and the legacy he left behind. Though I missed the chance to know him deeply, his impact on my life is immeasurable. His love, courage, and dedication live on in me.
"Papa, though your absence has been a constant void, your spirit has been my silent strength. You may have left too soon, but your legacy is eternal. Rest well, my dear father. You are forever in my heart."
About David Oyite Ojok
David Oyite Ojok was born on April 15, 1940 and died on December 2, 1983. He was a distinguished Ugandan military officer who played a significant role in the coalition of the Uganda National Liberation Army and Tanzania People's Defence Force, which ousted military dictator Idi Amin in 1979.
Until his untimely death in a helicopter crash, Oyite Ojok served as the national army chief of staff with the rank of major general. An ethnic Lango, Oyite Ojok first emerged as a notable figure in his late twenties as a junior army officer during President Milton Obote's first government from 1966 to 1971.
He had joined the Uganda Army in 1963 and by 1965, he was instructing officer cadet training courses in Jinja. On 7 February 1966, he was transferred from the 1st Battalion to the 4th Battalion on orders from Shaban Opolot, but by the end of February 1966, he had been moved to Army Headquarters and appointed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General.
In September 1970, while Idi Amin was out of the country attending President Nasser of Egypt's funeral, Obote appointed Brigadier Suleman Hussein as the new Chief of Defence Staff, recognising Oyite Ojok as one of his most crucial military followers and confidants.
Oyite Ojok was assigned to the newly created post of Assistant Military Secretary within the Ministry of Defence, holding the rank of Major. At some point in his career, he received further military training in Great Britain.