NRA - PROFESSIONALISM Vs PERSONALIZATION. Right from the days of FRONASA, Museveni intended to rise a personal army that would propel him to the Presidency. That is why he undermined the creation of a national army after the ovethrow of Iddi Amin. During the bush war, he personally controlled the recruitment, training, deployment and promotion of NRA personnel. No doubt the NRA at the time was generally an army of Bantus commanded by Himas. When he took over power, he personally decided who was to be active in the NRA. He diverted those he didnt want to be close to his NRA to civillian positions. The Mushegas, Otafiire, Kategaya, Mukwaya, Kigongo, Besigye, Kigongo and many others. Still within the mainstream NRA, those he did not want were purged as early as the late 80s. Kihanda, kyaligonza, Kashilingi, Kanyankole, Matovu, Drago, Katungi aka Sucide, Rwamukaaga and several others fell victim. There is another category that was simply kept in the NRA and promoted to top ranks with no further training or exposure deployment to match the ranks. The likes of Tumwine, Joram Mugume, Tinyefuza, Andrew Lutaya, Otafire, Ali Bamuze, Taban Amin and a few others are in this category. Mayombos case was unique in that he was fast tracked without the corresponding training and exposure. The only difference between civillian David Pulkol and civillian Brig. Mayombo is that the former being a Karamajong he knew how to fire a gun and the later simply had a military rank. If Museveni needed Mayombo why didnt he accord him the training opportunities that were available to Aronda and Muhoozi. Upon coming to power in 1986, the NRA embarked on a nationalwide recruitment drive. But 27 years down the road the NRAs top leadership continues to be dominated by Musevenis home boys. Between 1986 and 1990 a sufficient number of educated Ugandans joined the NRA. A good number of Professional soldiers from the previous armies we incorporated into the NRA just to keep them in check instead of utilising their skills. Among the many educated civillians who joined the NRA between 1986 and 1990 are the likes of Dr. Sabiiti Mutengesa, Charles Byaruhanga, Guma Gumisiriza, Henry Isoke, Miterrand Bitumbika, Eyotia Eya, Mugume Baguma, Luke Otagwa, Richard Ziiwa, Herbert Mbonye, Kashure, Wilson Muhabuzi, Eng Sabiiti, Semaganda, Kasibante and many other university graduates. There are also many university graduates who upon joining the NRA were delibarately diverted to ISO and ESO. In 1986 two female MUK graduates, Rose Kabuye and Agness Kasaami enilisted for military training at Kabamba training school. Upon completion of training, an NRA General employed Agnes and fathered a kid with her. Ever since NRAs first female University graduate was never heard of again. Museveni prefers to showpiece Col. Proscovia Nalweyiso because she is totally an illiterate. Rose Kabuye who went to RPF, the last time I checked she was a Major and head of Protocol. Therefore its not true that its the first son Muhozi Keinerugaba who attracted and recruitted university graduates into the NRA. Enough graduates were there except that the ones he recruited were for the PERSONALISATION project. Before 1990, basic military training for recruits was coducted at more than five major training schools on top of different NRA units being mandated to recruit and train. For Officers, Cadets were trained in Tanzania and Nigeria before Jinja took up the task. For Non Comissioned (NCOs), there was no training at all. Many NCOs got comissioned without attending Cadet and rose through the ranks i.e Mugira, Mayombo, Bantariza and many others in the NRA and ISO. Many NCOs did not have the opportunity to either attend Cadet or be outrightly comissioned. Several people used bribery to buy ranks or be selected for either officer training or overseas training. Many benefited from the institutionalised patronage based on tribalism. In the absence of established structures for training and promotion coupled by Musevenis frequent changes in the NRAs top leadership, the phenomena created personal loyalities. It is common to find the Tinyefuza officers, Kazini Officers, Muhoozi officers or the Tumukunde, Mugira, Muhwezi or Mayombo intelligence officers. This factor partly explains the phenomena of Katebe while the career development of some individuals was destroyed. During the 2001 and 2006 general elections, Museveni requested for another term so that he professionalises the NRA. Unknown to Ugandans, Museveni was simply buying time so as to bring his son on board. He has now personalised the NRA and has curved out a more personal army, SFG under the comand of his son. It is this SFG that will eventually swallow the NRA and tightly guard his life presidency. Museveni has reverally warned politicians to keep off his NRA, in particular his former Vice President Bukenya who ignorantly sent his son for Cadet training but died mysteriously. Bukenya suspected foul play but HOW COULD WE AFFORD TO HAVE TWO FIRST SONS!
Posted on: Sun, 21 Dec 2014 14:03:32 +0000
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