Bishop Edward Stanley Engena Maitum Obote is the second child of the late President of Uganda, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote. He was born at Mulago Hospital and has four siblings.
Photo: Stanley Engena
Speaking of his father’s legacy, Bishop Engena has said that he is proud of what Dr. Obote did and the kind of person he was.
Bishop Engena never hesitated to talk about the unique threats and pitfalls of being the son of a prominent political figure throughout his life.
He does acknowledge that the one of being identified as such is something that is permanent, as he puts it, “Being the child of a president or a notable individual is something permanent; it’s a lifetime designation.”
Photo: Former Uganda President late Apollo Milton Obote
Aside from his religious activities, Bishop Engena has gotten involved in politics. In 2015, he announced that he was keen on contesting for Ugandan president in the 2016 election so that he could walk in his father’s footsteps into politics.
But his political life was dealt a setback; in 2016, he lost Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party primary elections in Apac Municipality and received only two votes.
Despite such shortcomings, Bishop Engena is still committed to the public service and meeting his family expectations. His experiences are symptomatic of the dynamics of having personal identity overshadowed by an illustrious family background.