Aggrey Awori

Aggrey Awori (born February 23, 1939) is an opposition member of parliament in Uganda from the Uganda People's Congress.

Awori was born in the village of Budimu, near the Ugandan border to Kenya as the 10th of 17 children. His siblings include the Kenyan vice-president Moody Awori and Mary Awori, the first woman in East Africa to head a Barclays Bank branch. Aggrey visited Nabumali High School and King’s College Buddo from 1959 to 1961. From 1961 to 1965, he studied at Harvard University on a scholarship. The first year he took nuclear physics, but then switched over to political economics. Aggrey Awori represented Uganda in the 110 metres hurdles at the Summer Olympics in 1960 and 1964,Ssalim, Henry H. " [http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/28012004/News/Special%20Report28012004222.html Oh brother! Politics is in the family] " in Daily Nation Online. Retrieved April 12, 2006.] but failed to win any medals. [Rix, Martin " [http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/ogm.htm Olympic Games Medallists - Athletics (Men)] ". Retrieved September 2, 2006.]

In 1967, Awori was appointed the first local director of Uganda Television Network (UTV). In 1971 Awori was jailed for two months after Idi Amin's coup, because during Amin's first coup attempt he didn't broadcast a speech Amin gave, lying to him by saying that they were live on air. He then taught at the University of Nairobi until 1976 and then traveled around Africa visiting Tanzania, Liberia and Senegal and returning to Nairobi in 1979.

After Idi Amin was overthrown in 1979, Aggrey Awori returned to Uganda. He ran for a seat in the National Assembly of Uganda, but lost. He then became ambassador to the United States, until being dropped by Yoweri Museveni in 1985.

After a brief asylum in Nairobi, Awori started to build up a rebel group operating from eastern Uganda. He stated, that his reason for doing so was mainly anger at Museveni's National Resistance Army, which had confiscated property of his. In 1992, he dissolved his rebel group, which had consisted mainly of young fighters. In 1993, Awori then met with the Museveni in New York and then was elected to the Constituent Assembly to make the Constitution and as a member of parliament.

He came third in the 2001 presidential elections, polling 1.41% of the vote. He probably would have been the president's principle contender were it not for Kizza Besigye's decision to run. [Borzello, Anna " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1209952.stm Uganda poll: The other contenders] " in BBC Online. Retrieved April 12, 2006.]

He is married to Thelma Awori, the United Nations Development Programme director for Africa. They have grown-up children, all working in Uganda. " [http://www.ugandaelections.com/2001_Elections/Awori/Aggrey_Aworis_Career.html Aggrey Awori's Career] " from ugandaelections.com. Retrieved April 12, 2006.]

References

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NAME=Awori, Aggrey
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Ugandan politician and athlete
DATE OF BIRTH=February 23, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=