Mutale opens doors to MPs

By Henry Mukasa

Maj. Roland Kakooza Mutale, often described as militant, willingly met MPs on the defence and internal affairs committee on Tuesday at his Matembe Institute of Technology in Luweero.

Mutale said he had been cheated by ungrateful politicians.

The special presidential adviser on military affairs told the MPs who are probing his activities, that his bad image originated from the Movement he has sacrificed much for.

An impassioned Mutale said a rift had developed between him and some top Movement officials. He said some opposition politicians understood him better than his compatriots.

“Aggrey Awori is my biggest critic but we hug. But I have failed to take a meal with Kigongo (Movement vice-chairman Alhaj Moses). They want me penalised,” Mutale said.

He added, “Stories have been planted in newspapers by Movement people. You go to court, it acquits you but stories continue. Even Movement people refer to me as paramilitary.”

The committee, represented by Amon Muzoora, Isaiah Imumet and Winnie Kabakumba, is probing Mutale’s activities under CEDO and Kalangala Action Plan.

Mutale said the return of pluralism spelt doom.

He said, “Restoration of multipartyism means restoration of UPC. As a freedom fighter I cannot allow that.”

When the MPs said times had changed, Mutale replied, “We are going backwards. I can foresee the return to 1980 because the people who stood in 1980 are going to stand again. I can see Ssemogerere, Nkangi, Museveni and Obote or his representative standing again. They didn’t agree in 1980, they cannot agree now.”