{UAH} Allan/Pojim/WBK: Witness: how Museveni survived death in Mbale
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how Museveni survived death in Mbale
Forty-two years ago on January 22, 1973, a young Yoweri Museveni was almost killed at the home of Maumbe Mukhwana, a key Fronasa mobiliser in Maluku estates, Mbale.
The house, number 49, which Museveni visited, was later surrounded by Idi Amin soldiers who demanded that the occupants move out and identify themselves. In the ensuing fire fight, two of his colleagues, Mwesigwa Black and a one Kazimoto were killed.
Museveni and the third person, PATRICK NAMATITI BUKENI, 65, managed to escape through the back door. On Wednesday, Edris Kiggundu caught up with Bukeni, who has since retired to farming in Manafwa district, and he relived the day's events. Below are excerpts.
I arrived from Tanzania with some messages in a bag [for Museveni]. I arrived at house number 49 at Maluku estates in Mbale town. The house belonged to my cousin called Maumbe Mukhwana. Then I met three gentlemen. I was introduced to these gentlemen by the wife of Maumbe.
The three gentlemen were Yoweri Museveni, another was called Kazimoto and there was Mwesigwa Black. We sat down and talked for some time. Museveni told me that he had been a teacher in Munduli in Tanzania and I told him that I am a trainee in Arusha, then the headquarters of the East African Community.
He [Museveni] was asking me very many questions and I feared because he was putting on army-like boots. I was scared. They had told me to be careful when I was coming to meet him. I asked myself is this the person I am supposed to give the message to or he is trying to fool me?
At that time I could not imagine that I was speaking to a future president of Uganda. He was a simple man. He looked like a teacher. He was very friendly. He would ask me personal questions about my family.
But after about one hour, the house was surrounded by Amin's soldiers. We don't know who tipped off the soldiers but at that particular moment, Maumbe's wife came because she was concerned that I did not have a local identity card. At that time I had an ID from Tanzania. At that time to have any connection with Tanzania was considered a crime.
She warned me to get out of the house through the backdoor. Museveni was still in the sitting room with his colleagues. As I was getting out, I remembered that I had come with a bag which had messages given to me by James Wapakhabulo and Prof Dani Nabudere to deliver to Museveni. I did not know the details of the messages. At that time Wapakhabulo was the principal legal officer of the EAC and he knew that it was easy to pass information through students.
Back to that day, Maumbe's wife insisted that I get out of the house as fast as I could but I told her that my bag was still there, angrily, she replied: "No get out of here." The bag was big and had some other personal effects. As I went through the back door to Maluku forest which is about 200 meters away from the estate, commotion started.
I heard soldiers asking Museveni: "who are you?" and then Museveni replied: "we are students." One of the soldiers asked him: "Who is driving the vehicle in the compound?" It was a Volkswagen. Then I heard gunshots and after some time, I saw Museveni running towards me in the forest. We were all confused and I did not have time to ask him what exactly had happened in the house. I took off and went to the bus park. I entered into a bus that was heading to Nabumali High School and Museveni took off to a place I don't know.
MEETING MUSEVENI AGAIN
On August 2008, Museveni came to Manafwa to inspect Naads projects. When he came to Bugobero, he was told that I lived nearby. Museveni sent me a driver and I was taken to Mbale state lodge.
He introduced me to his son, Brig Kainerugaba Muhoozi and he recalled the entire story of the escape. I remember we sat down three of us (Muhoozi, Museveni and I) for one hour at state lodge Mbale.
Museveni told me that the bag which I had left behind in 1973 was taken to Makindye military barracks and remained there until NRA took power in 1986.
He later told me to take Muhoozi to the house in Maluku estates where he had survived death. I took him there and we went through what had happened on that day. Muhoozi was writing a book and wanted to know each and every detail of the escape.
I came back to Uganda from Tanzania in 1991 to head the finance department of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). I worked in CAA until recently when I retired.
ekiggundu@observer.ug
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