Around 1980, my father had just returned from Italy to meet the Pope when his bestfriend, Cedrac, introduced him to a gentleman. The gentleman was Amama Mbabazi. Cedrac & Mbabazi married sisters. Mbabazi introduced him to other very many gentlemen, among whom included Ruhakana Rugunda & Yoweri Museveni. Indeed in the 1980 elections, all the above men, while having lunch at home, my elder sister Carol sang, UPM, clean leadership & Museveni said the kid was bright. My illiterate father nicknamed her Bright-a name she holds todate. In the reign of the Military Commission, Museveni came to kabale to pick some recruits, bt run out of cash to hire a car. My father gave him a Tata lorry. From time to time, when they had began the guerilla war, my father was called upon to give financial support-which he so willingly gave. Ard 1982, Museveni came home & dad gave him 20k dollars. That day, Obote soldiers almost shot him dead. The bullet marks are still there in the dinning walls. That same year, his best friend, Cedrac-was captured & taken to Kireeka. My father tried to use Maj. Gen Maruru to rescue him-the day they visited him in prison was the day that he was murdered. My father was also arrested & taken to Makindye prison. A prominent businessman in kabale Canon Batuma rescued him through the then Min. Of Internal Affairs, Luwuliza Kirunda. In 1983, my father was again arrested from ard Entebbe airport. In the Mercedes Benz he was driving, he had 20m kenyan shillings& 50k US dollars. He was taken to Nile Mansions(present day Serena) then a torture Chamber. That everyday, they would be asked to pray & one of them randomly picked to be murdered. A senior Intelligence officer in the regime called Andrew Tindikahwa together with the then Min of Health, Dr. Nkwasibwe saved him. When he was freed, the soldiers dropped him off at the entrance of Fairway hotel, without a shirt or shoes. When my father held a meeting with Museveni in 1985, he told him soldiers were lacking gumboots. My father personally delivered them to Fred Rwigyema & Julius Chihandae in Kasese in a Hilux, no UXA 145. That same year, he aided a group led by Samson Mande, to access money in UCB Kabale. Many of the meetings by people who would come to Uganda through Rwanda in that year were held from home. My fqther was seriously witchhunted & planned to go to exile. Major Bwende told him to wait-if they crossed Katonga, he would stay (the war would almost be done). If they failed, he advised that it would be bloody. By mid Nov, it was clear they were winning the battle. The above story was narrated to me by my mother-She strongly believes that their efforts were in vain, the regime has overstayed their welcome & should have left by yesterday. My opinion is different, I think the regime should still be in power. After expressing her opinions on a local radio station yesterday, I callled her & we debated. In my next post, I will explain where her & I disagree.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 05:04:54 +0000