{UAH} The Observer - Tracing Museveni's friends

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34098:-tracing-musevenis-friends&catid=34:news&Itemid=114

The Observer - Tracing Museveni's friends

News

Sunday, 28 September 2014 20:18

Written by Sulaiman Kakaire

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

skakaire@observer.ug

The Observer - Tracing Museveni's friends

http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=34098:-tracing-musevenis-friends&catid=34:news&Itemid=114

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