[UAH] Tugume Sam@Were you in the bush with Tinyefunza and Museveni?

''During the bush war, M7's leadership faced a challenge from Comdr Sam Magara his army commander. Magara, a Lawyer and an Ankole royal commanded a formidable following from among the Hima fighters and a good section of Baganda fighters too. Magara had earlier defied Museveni in Tanzania during exile in the 70s when he sought Obote's help to join the Daresalaam University for a Law Degree. Much earlier, still in Tanzania another lawyer and Ankole royal and a close M7 associate, Martin Mwesiga had had mysteriously died. Fingers were pointed at M7.

In the bush Magara mysteriously died and again fingers were pointed at Museveni. Other Ankole royals like Fred Rubereza and Hannington Mugabi also died in the bush under questionable circumstances. The last of the Ankole royals were David Ndayondi who was transferred from ISO only to be shot by LRA inside Gulu barracks!

Namara Katabarwa died while on Katebe, Peter Mucokori died of natural causes and Tom Taremwa deserted and fled to the USA. Those were the last of the Ankole royals in Museveni's army. Later Museveni was to oppose the restoration of the Ankole monarchy.

After Magara's death Museveni consolidated his control of the NRA. Soon after Tinyefuza emerged as another headache to Museveni. Shortly before the fall of Kampala, Tinyefuza had just finished serving a18 months detention sentence for disobeying the Chairman High Command (M7). He had been the Director General of Intelligence, and in his absence Jim Muhweezi had to act. M7 had given an order suspending all operation but Tinye defiantly led an operation that unfortunately led to serious loss of NRA fighters. Tinye took up the command of the Kyenjojo, Hoima, Masindi axis fighting major battles at Biiso and Kinyaara. Museveni deliberately did not mention Tinyefuza's role in his book.

After the fall of Kampala, Tinye was appointed the Brigade Commander of 163 Brigade based in Kampala. During this time he busted the first treason attempt that allegedly involved Andrew Kayiira.

 Before the exodus of Rwandese from the NRA in 1990, Tinye was regarded as being among the senior army officers who dissented the growing influence of Rwandese in the NRA and M7's overreliance on their undisputable loyalty to him. Therefore, Tinye is not in good books with Kigali.

Tinye's conduct was brought to question again when he secretly spearheaded the coronation of Ankole's Prince Barigye as opposed to Museveni. He was not reprimanded because Elly Tumwiine had been his accomplice. Instead, it was the current DG/ISO, Ronnie Balya who beared the brunt as he was the DISO of Mbarara district.

 Tinyefuza married from the Ankole royal family and since all the royal sons had been wiped out of Museveni's army, the royal house fell back to their their in-law, Tinye.

While he was the Minister of State for Defence, Tinye surprisingly took off his necktie and donned the military fatigue and headed for the field to initiate and command an offensive against the LRA.

Having boosted the soldier's morale by timely providing adequate logistics and zero tolerance to misuse and diversion of soldier's pay and supplies by commanders. Tinye's initiative though had some brutalities, it was about to break the LRA's back. In Kampala, Museveni was worried of Tinye's growing popularity among the soldiers and had to recall him back and the operation flopped.

 

Tinye was later relieved of the Defence portfolio and placed on close scrutiny. The practice of rendering officers redundant (Katebe) started around that time and mainly targeted those suspected to be loyal to Tinye. The likes of Ikondere, Sikaji, Muheesi, Kyabihende Taban, Chris Kazoora, the two Kyatuka brothers and many others were and continue to be victims of that intrigue.

During the constitution making process (CA), Tinye, Serwanga Lwanga and Kiiza Besigye though representing the army, demonstrated independent mindedness departing from the official NRM/NRA stand. This raised eyebrows in military circles. After the CA, Buganda (Lukiko) that had lost the demand for Federalism (Federo) courted Tinye. A son of one of the Lukiko members acted as a courier of letters from Buganda to Tinye. The courier would transit vie Military Intelligence head office at Basiima House.

 

Tugume Sam <tugumesam24@gmail.com>

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