Sunday, 28 September 2014 20:18
President Museveni with Kirunda Kivejinja addressing a UPM rally in 1980
Presidency appears to be Museveni’s only real friend as old allies either die or they are cast by the wayside, writes Sulaiman Kakaire.
President Museveni once said in a 1994 newspaper interview that he had no friends. Of course the president is a politician. And politicians, we are told, have no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent interests.
Still, there were people who seemed (and
believed they were) so close to Museveni you could be forgiven for
thinking of them as his friends. But you would be wrong. The September
18 sacking of Amama Mbabazi as prime minister has further diminished the
group of Museveni’s long-term confidants still working with him.
Mbabazi, 65, had worked closely with
Museveni since the early 1970s. The president even credits Mbabazi for
reviving the internal network that fought Idi Amin when it almost
collapsed around 1974. In his book, “Sowing the Mustard Seed,” a
chronicle of his political journey from his youthful days up to 1996
when Uganda held the first universal suffrage elections under NRM,
Museveni lists his friends and foes.
A review of Museveni’s book by this
newspaper found that of the nearly 200 people he mentions, 158 belonged
to what the president called friendly forces in the struggle while 29
can be referred to, in the context of the book, as enemy forces. The
names on the “enemy list” include; former presidents Apollo Milton
Obote, Idi Amin Dada, Tito Okello Lutwa and Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa.
Our review also found that 85 of the 158
‘friendly forces’ – made a significant contribution to Museveni’s
political journey. Among the significant contributors are people
Museveni met in school and during his early political activism
campaigns. They include Martin Mwesiga (RIP), Black Mwesigwa (RIP),
Eriya Kategaya (RIP) and Valeriano Rwaheru (RIP), who he met in the
1950s as a student at Kyamate primary school and Ntare School.
At Dar es Salaam University, Museveni
also met people like the late Dr John Garang and James Wapakhabulo (RIP)
who participated fervently in the University Students African
Revolutionary Front to discuss Africa’s problems. During that time, they
would invite political scholars like Walter Rodney to provide insights
into some of the problems that the world’s post-colonial states were
facing.
“This was during the time he (Rodney) was writing ‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’,” Museveni notes.
The president mentions Kategaya and
Martin Mwesiga as some of those who participated in the discussions.
When he graduated from university, Museveni in the late 1960s joined
“progressive voices” within the UPC such as Raiti Omongin (RIP), Kirunda
Kivejinja, Dani Wadada Nabudere (RIP), Bidandi Ssali, Zubairi Bakari
(RIP), Richard Kaijuka and Magode Ikuya.
In 1971, when Amin assumed leadership,
Museveni mobilised some Ugandans under Fronasa to fight the
dictatorship. They included Kategaya, Amanya Mushega, Ruhakana Rugunda,
Maumbe Mukhwana, Haruna Kibuye (RIP) and Abwooli Malibo (RIP). Others
that Museveni cooperated with under Fronasa include Mbabazi, Kahinda
Otafiire, James Birihanze, Kahunga Bagira, Augustine Ruzindana, Salim
Saleh, Fred Rwigema, Ivan Koreta, Chefe Ali, Chango Machyo, Sam Njuba
and Sam Katabarwa.
During the 1980 NRA bush war, Museveni
acknowledges to have worked with, among others, people like Fred
Rubereza (RIP), Gen Elly Tumwine, Tadeo Kanyankore (RIP) and Dr Kizza
Besigye.
Current relationship
Our analysis of Museveni’s friends
reveals that of the 85 great contributors to Museveni’s political
journey, only 35 are alive. Of these, 26 still work with Museveni while
nine are in the opposition. Nine of Museveni’s former friends fell out
with the president due to their opposition to his long stay in power.
These include Mushega, Augustine Ruzindana, Col (rtd) Dr Kizza Besigye,
Jaberi Bidandi Ssali, Colonels Samson Mande and Anthony Kyakabale.
Besigye left Museveni’s government after
he refused to address his call for reforms on governance. He has since
stood three times against Museveni and remains the leading opposition
player. Mushega, Ruzindana and Bidandi parted ways with Museveni
following the latter’s push for the removal of presidential term limits.
Some of Museveni’s friends who are dead
disagreed with Museveni in their last days. Among these are Nabudere,
Sam Kalega Njuba, Kanyakore and his childhood friend Kategaya. In his
book, “Impassioned For Freedom,” the late Kategaya expressed his
disappointment with Museveni’s about-turn on stepping down from power.
On pages 131-132, Kategaya writes; “Of
late, I have been told that politicians are people without a sense of
shame. All along I trusted President Museveni whenever we agreed on what
to do but the kisanja project (deletion of two term limits) has shaken
my faith in him. It is not only President Museveni who has shaken my
faith and trust in leaders but some of my colleagues in cabinet are
equally guilty. It seems the survival instinct overrides everything
else.”
Although Kategaya was dropped from
cabinet for his stand, he was eventually recalled after making his own
U-turn. Njuba and Bidandi also wrote in their autobiographies about how
they were forced to leave government for questioning the lifting of term
limits.
Play safe
From available statistics, it seems the
safest way to remain within Museveni’s inner circle is not to express
interest in the presidency or even criticise Museveni, his family or the
UPDF – which he sees as the regime’s ultimate guarantor. Almost all of
Museveni’s close comrades who have continued to work with him have
played safe politics or not posed a threat to his power.
The 26 friends still living today
include Prime Minister-Designate Rugunda, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, the
minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Gen Elly Tumwine, a
UPDF MP. Others are Kirunda Kivejinja, Kintu Musoke, Gen Ivan Koreta
and his brother Gen Salim Saleh. So, to stay with Museveni, one has to
identify and take care of his permanent interest, which can now be
presumed to be his presidency.
Where Museveni friends are
| Name | Year of meeting for politics | Where are they now |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Mwesiga | 1953 | He was killed in Mbale |
| Eriya Kategaya | 1953 | Died in 2012. By the time of his death he was serving as First Deputy Prime Minister and minister for East Africa Community Affairs. |
| Black Mwesigwa | 1953 | Died during the unsuccessful invasion of September 1972 |
| Valeriano Rwaheru | 1950s | Killed by a grenade that exploded in his hands when he was attacked by Amin’s soldiers in 1974 |
| James Wapakhabulo | 1960s | Died in 2004; served as minister for Foreign Affairs |
| John Garang | 1960s | Died in a plane crash in 2005 |
| John Kawanga | 1960s | He is currently in private practice and a member of DP |
| Prof Dani Nabudere | 1960s | Died in 2012. By the time of his death he was mobilising a citizen led movement to call for governance reforms |
| Kintu Musoke | 1960s | Retired politician but currently working as Special Presidential Advisor |
| Jaberi Bidandi Ssali | 1960s | He stood against Museveni in the 2011 presidential elections and is president of People’s Progressive Party |
| Kirunda Kivejinja | 1960s | He is a Special Presidential Advisor and member of NRM’s Central Executive Committee |
| Raiti Omongin | 1960s | Died during the unsuccessful invasion of September 1972 |
| Richard Kaijuka | 1960s | A silent member of the FDC |
| Erifazi,Laki | 1960s | Died |
| Yuda Katundu | 1960s | Died |
| Abbas Kibazo | 1960s | Died |
| Zubairi Bakari | 1960s | Died |
| Ikuya Magode | 1960s | Retired and member of NRM NEC |
| Amanya Mushega | 1971 | He is FDC vice president in charge of Western Uganda |
| Ruhakana Rugunda | 1970s | Prime Minister |
| Maumbe Mukhwana | 1970s | Retired farmer in Mbale |
| Haruna Kibuye | 1970s | Died |
| Haruna,Bakari | 1970s | Died |
| Akena P’Ojok | 1970s | Died |
| Abwooli Malibo | 1970s | Was arrested in one of the tea rooms in Kampala, executed in Fort Portal in 1973 |
| James Karambuzi | 1970s | Executed by Amin in 1973 |
| Joseph Bitwaari | 1970s | Was publicly executed By Amin In 1973 |
| Samuel Kagulire Kasadha | 1970s | Was the estate engineer at Makerere killed by Amin in 1972 |
| Edward Rugumayo | 1970s | Retired and currently at the Mountain of the Moon University in Fort Portal |
| Obitre Gama | 1970s | Died |
| William Ndahendekire | 1970s | Died |
| James Birihanze | 1970s | He was found dead after the Kyambogo incident when Amin soldiers surrounded Rwaheru and James Karuhanga |
| Kahunga Bagira | 1970s | Killed during the unsuccessful invasion of September 1972 |
| Samora,Machel | 1970s | Died in 1986 |
| Augustine Ruzindana | 1970s | Opposition—deputy secretary general in charge of research in FDC |
| Mpiima Kazimoto Wukwu | 1970s | He was killed during the first Fronasa attack in Mbale |
| Joseph Bitwari | 1970s | Was arrested and publicly executed in his home town of Kabale in 1973 |
| James Karambuzi | 1970s | Was arrested and publicly executed in their home town of Kabale |
| William Nkoko | 1970s | Executed in Jinja in 1973 |
| James Mbigiti | 1970s | Died |
| James Karuhanga | 1970s | Amin’s soldiers publicly executed him in front of his parents in Mbarara town |
| Obwona Labeja | 1970s | Was executed in 1973 in Gulu town |
| Janet Museveni | 1970s | First lady and minister for Karamoja Affairs |
| John Wycliffe Kazzora | 1970s | Died in 1999 |
| Amama Mbabazi | 1970s | Secretary General, NRM/Former Prime Minister |
| Kahinda Otafiire | 1970s | Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs |
| Salim Saleh (Caleb Akandwanaho) | 1970s | Special Presidential Advisor |
| Fred Rwigema | 1970s | Died during RPF’s Rwanda Invasion, 1990. |
| Chefe Ali | 1970s | Died |
| Ivan Koreta | 1970s | Ambassador |
| Wanume Kibedi | 1970s | Chairperson of Citizenship and Immigration Board |
| Chango Machyo | 1970s | Died in 2013 and by then he was a special presidential advisor |
| Rhoda Kalema | 1970s | Retired |
| Sam Njuba | 1970 | Died in 2013 and by then he was FDC National chairperson |
| Gertrude Njuba | 1970s | Special presidential advisor |
| Sam Katabarwa | 1970s | ... |
| Sam Magara | 1970s | Died during the bush war |
| Ahmed Seguya | 1970s | Died during the bush war |
| Fred Rubereza | 1970s | Died during the bush war |
| Elly Tumwine | 1970s | Army MP |
| Brig Tadeo Kanyankore | 1970s | Died in 1999 |
| Matthew Rukikaire | 1970s | Retired but recently served as chairperson of Makerere University Council |
| Brig Andrew Lutaaya | 1970s | Retired into private business. He is the owner of Ssese Construction Company and a host of other businesses. |
| Col Charles Tusiime | 1970s | Col. Charles Tusiime, a historical who took part in the 1981 attack on Kabamba Military Barracks but was recently promoted |
| Nathan Ruyondo | 1970s | The father of the late Colonel Patrick Lumumba |
| Patrick Lumumba | 1970s | Died in 1991 |
| Brig Julius Chihandae | 1970s | But he later fell out with the government, spent about a year in a cell at Lubiri military barracks after allegedly aiding his friend, Col. Ahmed Kashilingi, to flee the country. Kashilingi, who currently works in the President’s Office, was accused of plotting a coup especially after the burning of military documents at Republican House, where he was in charge. Today Chihandae is an attaché at Uganda’s embassy in Saudi Arabia. |
| Hannington Mugabi | 1970s | Killed by one of his colleagues during the NRM struggle |
| Jack Mucunguzi | 1980s | Is the brother to Maj. General Fred Mugisha, the former Force Commander, African Mission in Somalia (Amisom), worked for the defunct Coffee Marketing Board and later as a security officer at Uganda Revenue Authority. |
| Anthony Kyakabale | 1980s | Exiled in 2001 |
| Bomboka Edidian Lutamaguzi | 1980s | Died during the bush war |
| Moses Kigongo | 1980s | NRM vice chairperson |
| Col Fred Mwesigye | 1980s | Member of Parliament for Nyabushozi County |
| Pecos Kutesa | 1980s | in charge of army doctrine |
| Andrew Kayiira | 1980s | Died under mysteriously circumstances in 1987 he was then the Minister for Energy. |
| Moses Ali | 1980s | Second Deputy Prime Minister |
| Shaban Kashanku | 1980s | Was killed during the early years of the struggle for travelling,to Kampala from the jungles of Luweero without getting permission of his commanders |
| Dr Ronald Batta | 1980s | Died |
| Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye | 1980s | Opposition and former president of FDC |
| Stanley Muhangi | 1980s | He died in 1991 |
| Maj Gen Joram Mugume | 1980s | He is the former deputy army commander and commander of land forces |
| Maj Emmy Ekyaruhanga | 1980s | Died |
| Paulo Muwanga | 1980s | Died in 1991 |
| Stephen Kashaka | 1980s | Military attaché at the Ugandan Embassy in South Africa and previously served in the same position in Tanzania. |
| Maj Gen Fred Mugisha | 1980s | In charge of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre. |
| Ahmed Kashilingi | 1980s | Security Analyst,,ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Col Samson Mande | 1980s | Exiled in Sweden |
| Brig Peter Kerim | 1980s | He died in 2012 and by that time he was serving as a deputy reserve force commander |
| Benon Tumukunde | 1980s | Died in early days of regime |
| Namara Katabarwa | 1980s | Died in the bush |
| | | |
