OBITUARY: Ben Etonu: The MP Who Fought For Teso With His Fists And Voice

 November 17, 2025   |    104 views

By Titus Kakembo

Back in the fiery politics of the 1980s, one man stood out for his passion and defiance – Hon. Ben Etonu. He is remembered as the MP who, in a heated moment, clenched his fist and landed a punch on Hon Lokwang Chodre, right inside Parliament. It wasn’t about pride or temper – it was his way of dramatising the pain of his people in Teso, who were being torn apart by Karimojong cattle rustlers.

At that time, cattle rustling and taking women was the biggest crisis in Teso. Families who once measured wealth in cows, opened land with ox-ploughs, and filled granaries with millet, beans, and amukeke were left empty-handed.

The Karimojong, described as “cousins” of the Iteso, would graze peacefully in Teso during dry spells, only to raid kraals when rains returned to Karamoja. By the time the dust cleared, kraals were bare, granaries were empty, and the word Ican (poverty) began to creep into homes where it was once unknown.
Etonu, who lived along School Road and Gweri Road where his wife ran a small shop, carried these wounds into Parliament.

With fearless boldness, he became the voice of Teso, demanding that the government act to save his people’s livelihoods. His famous punch was less about anger at fellow MPs and more a symbolic blow against injustice.
To the people of Teso, that clenched fist represented their collective frustration – an attempt to shake the nation into seeing cattle rustling not just as a local problem but as a national emergency.

And beyond politics, Etonu’s family carries his humility. Many of his children are well-known for being down-to-earth and friendly. There’s sweet Suzan, Late Pamela, Angela and then the great dancer who could scatter the floor at Soroti Hotel and Club 2000, speaking English as polished as King Charles himself. He went to Zambia.
Legends are remembered not just for their words, but for their fire -and Ben Etonu burned with the fire of Teso.