{UAH} OBOTEISM

An interim administration in the west headquartered at Rukoki sub county in Kasese was a non starter. The west was cut off from the central government in Kampala. Social services had completely collapsed. Hosipitals had run out of drugs and schools were not functioning. Even Makerere university students who were on holiday in the western region could not connect back to Kampala. That is how Noble Mayombo, James Mugira and a few others ended up in the NRA training camp. Apart from Tooro and a few areas in Mbarara, the rest of the western region was considere hostile to NRA. On crossing from Tooro, the fighters were briefed that they were entering a hostile area and that they should deal with civilians with caution. This is because Museveni was resented by the Banyankole in general. The interim administration had put in place a non functioning semblance of a cabinet. One of them was the Commissar for Commerce, Katenta Apuuli who entered into trade deals with Burundi's Bagaza. Among such deals were the controvercial 28 years old outstanding Picfare deal. The likes of Jim Muhwezi and Fred Rwigyema struck deals with local businessmen like John Katuramu of Give & Take over the coffee that the NRA had grabbed from the Cooperative Union stores. Kick backs on under supply of essential commodities and unequal opportunity for grabs by senior NRA officers led to serious misunderstandings. Kaitirima was managing the Kilembe Mines. Abbey Mukwaya became the Special District Aministrator in Kabarole while Ndayondi was the Civil Intelligence Officer (CIO) of the same area. The struggle for who becomes what swung into action because of the associated economic benefits. Internal bickering threatened the cohesion of comrades in arms. Kanyankole was accused of attempting to sell the revolution to the DP/Military government of Kampala. As all this was going on, the ordinary fighters were paying the heavy price by continued hardships. The Baganda and Banyoro in particular, felt they were still in the bush and craved to be home too. It took the future Buganda King Prince Mutebi to come on the ground to assess the allegation that Baganda were being mistreated. Kakoza Mutale ran the political indoctrination camp based in Kiijura Tea Estate outside Fort Portal town for the civilians cadres. After the fall of Kampala, Kakoza Mutale without sufficient notice established the same camp in a forest in Wakiso but was mistakanely attacked by the NRA leading to deaths. Mzee Gureme lost a son in that attack but nobody was held responsible. This is the indoctrination camp that has over the time evolved to become the present day Kyankwanzi NRM institute. The army ran a parallel school of political education for the military Cadres in Kabukero along Rive Mubuku. After completing military drills or even before, all the recruits with a reasonable level of formal education would be taken to this school. However, many would under declare their education levels so that they are let to continue with military adventurism. It was managed by Amanya Mushega, Alphose Furuma (RPF), Wilson Rutaisire (RPF) among others. The likes of Shaban Bantariza, Kajabago Karusoke and Noble Mayombo who had been students around late 1985 were retained as lecturers. Kahinda Otafiire was the overall army political commissar. After taking over power, this political school was moved to the former Entebbe State Lodge. The government hosipitals in Kilembe and Fort Portal together with the missionary hospitals in Fort Portal were shared by both the NRA and civilians. Proscovia Nalweyiso was the coordinator of medical services in these hosipitals. 

Because of change of political landscape in Kampala, NRA's tone of mobilisation changed from fighting against Obote/UPC for having rigged elections to fighting Oboteism. The coalition of political forces that composed the government in Kampala, was collectively refered to as Anyanyas because of the presence of UNRF and FUNA armed groups that had returned home fron their bases in Southern Sudan. The force that had overwhelmed the NRA during the foiled attack on Mbarara was part of this West Nile group. In the meantime, Libyas Gadafi sent in another consignment of arms that the NRA collected from around the border with Tanzania. It consisted of among others the She Guns - Libya's version of the AK 47. 

Such was the state of events that left Museveni with no option but to go for peace talks that as a way of buying time in order to treacherously gain power. 



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