By Mulengera Reporters
In his heroic book, “Betrayed by My Leader,” Maj John Kazoora reveals many personal things about his mentor Gen YK Museveni including his now defunct relationship with Eng. Winnie Byanyima. Kazoora speaks of an incident which happened in the late 1985 as Gen Museveni engaged in talks with the Lutwa junta.
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The talks were held in Nairobi Kenya where President Arap Moi mediated. That for much of that talks period (this was months before NRA captured power), Gen Museveni was closely in touch with Eng Winnie Byanyima. That when Moi suspended talks to allow the groups to go and consult, Gen Museveni opted to travel to Kabale to have a feel of what life was like in the liberated areas.
Kazoora (who was to subsequently become pioneer SDA for Kampala) was already resident and working in Kabale where he had been deployed to serve as the pioneer Special District Administrator (SDA). We are referring to the old great Kabale which comprised of the entire Kigezi inclusive of Kisoro and this was towards the Christmas day of 1985.
“In a break from the negotiations, Chairman of the High Command (CHC Museveni) arrived in Kabale with Winnie Karagwa Byanyima and they stayed in the White Horse Inn. He immediately sent for me and as I was walking into White Horse Inn, I met Winnie Byanyima,” notes Kazoora before proceeding to fault Museveni for being very possessive of Dr. Kizza Besigye‘s future wife that day. “We exchanged pleasantries and I could see CHC’s eyes focusing on her.” Kazoora says he naturally knew the President’s female friend but he was shocked to realize she equally knew him.
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Kazoora says in their meeting, Museveni asked him about the political situation in Kabale besides demanding to be updated on the assignment he had given him with Kahinda Otafiire who was Special Regional Commissioner for that entire part of the country. The assignment related to meeting up with Juvenile Habyarimana, the Rwandan President at that time, who was thought to be hostile to the NRA progress and was working out something to help the Okellos to reverse the revolution. UNLA‘s Gen Zed Maruru was working as a go between.
So, Gen Museveni wished to impress it on Habyarimana that the NRM/NRA looked forward to good neighborhoodness. There was also some urgent need for vet medicines to save herds of cattle that were on the verge of dying in much of Western Uganda. Rwanda had these vet medicines in plenty and Otafiire managed to get Habyarimana to agree to come to Uganda’s rescue. Gen Museveni, who greatly trusted Kazoora especially on matters of political intelligence, also wanted a general update on many things during the preceding six months because he had been away in Sweden for much of that time.
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Kazoora, who endured resistance from Matia Kasaija who had been one of the big men or sausage eaters in the Nairobi-based external wing who were beginning to return with their self-importance, also worked with the eminent personalities of Kabale to organize some congratulatory dinner to honor Gen Museveni for the effectiveness with which he had led the war. Museveni reluctantly agreed to attend that dinner which was chiefly organized by Canon Ivan Batuma, Dr. Babigumira and Mrs. Janet Kahirimbanyi who was an employee of Bank of Uganda.
In his book, Kazoora recalls that Gen Museveni attended that dinner with Winnie Byanyima. Kazoora also recalls telling off Kasaija who was opposing the dinner by opportunistically claiming that such fanfare was contrary to the ideals of the NRA/NRM. “I told him to go and leave his maneno/wiseacring in Nairobi at the external wing headquarters,” Kazoora recalls his bust up with Kasaija who currently serves as the Minister of Finance.
He also makes reference to what happened the next day after the dinner. “In the morning, the CHC (Museveni) and Byanyima left for Fort Portal. He, however, left instructions that I should vacate the District Commissioner’s House and leave it for him.” This home was the venue for the dinner and apparently that’s how Gen Museveni came to see and like it. Kazoora relocated to begin staying at White Horse Inn. “From then on, Museveni used the house whenever he had engagements in the region. He once came with Ambassador Betheul Kiplagat (of Kenya) and on another occasion with a large group of Rwandese.”
In the same chapter, Kazoora makes reference to the January 25th 1986 meeting which the NRA High Command members had in Lubiri barracks. This, ostensibly, was meant to elect and confirm Museveni as the President of the newly liberated Republic of Uganda. Kazoora asserts that the NRA victory climaxed on 25th but the guerillas opted for 26th January because Gen Museveni didn’t like the shame of sharing the date with January 25th 1971 which is when Idi Amin became President of Uganda.
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But the most remarkable thing was the High Command discussion on how long Museveni had to be President before the interim NRM government gets dissolved for the country to have elections. That some suggested 4, others 5, 7 & 9. Museveni rebuked all of them into silence and declared that two/2 years was just enough for him to put things right in the country and move on to do other things. Kazoora is clearly intrigued in his book that today, almost 40 years later, Gen Museveni is still in charge and still counting.
This is how Museveni protested at those who were suggesting 5-9 years for him: “Have I wasted my time developing cadres? This bankruptcy of Africans wanting to overstay in power forever: what are 8 years for? Two years are enough.” At the end of the end, a compromise position of 4 years was agreed implying that Museveni had to bow out in 1990 which never happened.
Kazoora also commends fellow NRA bush war fighters for the selflessness they exhibited when they allowed more senior politicians (who hadn’t been in the bush) to dominate all the senior Cabinet positions. Museveni had a Cabinet of 33 full Ministers and 9 State Ministers. Museveni was the only Cabinet Minister from the bush and his docket was that of Defense which he considered too sensitive to give away. The others were seniors who hadn’t been in NRA examples being the likes of Andrew Kayira, PK Semogerere, Sebaana Kizito, Samson Kisekka and others.
The NRA combatants were only able to serve as State Ministers including Eriya Kategaya, Amanya Mushega, Ronald Batta, Kahinda Otafiire, Kizza Besigye and a few others. The only fellow strugglers Gen Museveni immediately rewarded with some juicy Ministerial postings were from external wing e.g. Samson Kisekka who started out as Prime Minister before being elevated to Vice President. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 0200900416 or email us at [email protected]).
