Fadhul sleeps in dilapidated home
AFTER release from Luzira Prison on Tuesday, Brig. Ali Fadhul spent his first night of freedom in his dilapidated home in Mukono district. The former minister for provincial administration during dictator Idi Amin’s regime retreated to the partially dem
By George Bita and Esther Mukyala
AFTER release from Luzira Prison on Tuesday, Brig. Ali Fadhul spent his first night of freedom in his dilapidated home in Mukono district. The former minister for provincial administration during dictator Idi Amin’s regime retreated to the partially demolished multi-storey complex in Bulumagi village near Njeru town.
The home was ransacked during the Tanzanian-backed 1979 war that toppled Amin’s government.
One of the houses had been rented to Weston College School-Makerere in Mukono.
When The New Vision visited on Wednesday afternoon, the former governor and commanding officer of the then Simba Batallion in Mbarara, clad in a white tunic, sat on a mattress in an open space that once was a sitting room.
He was attending to several visitors who kept flocking in.
He spent the night in a small room marked ‘office’ that has been housing the administration of Weston College School.
Some curious youngsters, including school children came around to see who Fadhul was.
“This is where I am sleeping for now. My neighbours and well-wishers keep calling on to welcome me back home,†said Fadhul.
He explained that he had nothing to do, but cope with the chilly night.
Meanwhile, an afternoon rain left the entire house wet as water poured from the open roof down the stairs onto the ground floor.
Fadhul said he chose to retreat to the home in Bulumagi where the eldest wife, Hajjati Segiya Nako, resides so as to quickly re-organise the family and pick up from where he had stopped.
Nako praised Museveni for releasing her husband pledging to give him her vote in 2011.
“After spending over 20 years in Luzira, I have no ill-feelings against the Government. I would abide by the Constitution with Museveni as my President,†Fadhul declared.
Fadhul was arrested in 1986 after the NRM took over power from Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa.
He was sentenced to jail in 1989 and his conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1993.
Fadhul is suffering from diabetes, ulcers and skin cancer, which he got while in jail. He can barely walk without support.
When The New Vision earlier visited the home to break the news and feel the reaction, Nako chanted Allah is great, Allah is great! She could hardly believe the news.
Dressed in a torn long dress, Nako could not hide her emotions. She broke down and cried, but was quickly comforted by relatives.
Friends, village mates and other family members flooded the dilapidated storey house to congratulate her upon the release of her husband.
Ululation, drumming, singing and dancing quickly drowned the atmosphere as residents celebrated Fadhul’s release.
“I am happy for what the president has done. How I wish I could reach him, but I cannot. The hope for my husband to come out of jail alive had faded away.
Long live Museveni and may Allah grant his family peace and continue to lead this country,†said Nako.
However, Abubaker Ali Fadhul, the first-born was not moved when he heard that his father had been released. “I cannot believe what you are saying until I see him face-to- face,†he said.
The former LC3 chairperson of Njeru town council, Sam Kitaka, also thanked Museveni for being merciful to the former inmates.
Asha Ali, Fahul’s daughter, said: “The president has scored 100%. We have nothing to give him in return. I can only appeal to the electorate to keep voting for him until he retires.â€
Salongo Kijambu, a businessman in Nakasero market, said Fadhul gave him a sh500 coin, which he had never held before.
“He would offer his vehicle to do errands in the village before he was arrested,†said Kijambu.
“The people of Bulumagi, Lugazi, Kitigoma, Nakibizzi, Mbiko and Njeru are very happy for President Museveni and we say that even if he doesnot give us anything, what he has done just enough,†an 80-year-old Sajjabi who is from a neighbouring village said.
AFTER release from Luzira Prison on Tuesday, Brig. Ali Fadhul spent his first night of freedom in his dilapidated home in Mukono district. The former minister for provincial administration during dictator Idi Amin’s regime retreated to the partially demolished multi-storey complex in Bulumagi village near Njeru town.
The home was ransacked during the Tanzanian-backed 1979 war that toppled Amin’s government.
One of the houses had been rented to Weston College School-Makerere in Mukono.
When The New Vision visited on Wednesday afternoon, the former governor and commanding officer of the then Simba Batallion in Mbarara, clad in a white tunic, sat on a mattress in an open space that once was a sitting room.
He was attending to several visitors who kept flocking in.
He spent the night in a small room marked ‘office’ that has been housing the administration of Weston College School.
Some curious youngsters, including school children came around to see who Fadhul was.
“This is where I am sleeping for now. My neighbours and well-wishers keep calling on to welcome me back home,†said Fadhul.
He explained that he had nothing to do, but cope with the chilly night.
Meanwhile, an afternoon rain left the entire house wet as water poured from the open roof down the stairs onto the ground floor.
Fadhul said he chose to retreat to the home in Bulumagi where the eldest wife, Hajjati Segiya Nako, resides so as to quickly re-organise the family and pick up from where he had stopped.
Nako praised Museveni for releasing her husband pledging to give him her vote in 2011.
“After spending over 20 years in Luzira, I have no ill-feelings against the Government. I would abide by the Constitution with Museveni as my President,†Fadhul declared.
Fadhul was arrested in 1986 after the NRM took over power from Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa.
He was sentenced to jail in 1989 and his conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1993.
Fadhul is suffering from diabetes, ulcers and skin cancer, which he got while in jail. He can barely walk without support.
When The New Vision earlier visited the home to break the news and feel the reaction, Nako chanted Allah is great, Allah is great! She could hardly believe the news.
Dressed in a torn long dress, Nako could not hide her emotions. She broke down and cried, but was quickly comforted by relatives.
Friends, village mates and other family members flooded the dilapidated storey house to congratulate her upon the release of her husband.
Ululation, drumming, singing and dancing quickly drowned the atmosphere as residents celebrated Fadhul’s release.
“I am happy for what the president has done. How I wish I could reach him, but I cannot. The hope for my husband to come out of jail alive had faded away.
Long live Museveni and may Allah grant his family peace and continue to lead this country,†said Nako.
However, Abubaker Ali Fadhul, the first-born was not moved when he heard that his father had been released. “I cannot believe what you are saying until I see him face-to- face,†he said.
The former LC3 chairperson of Njeru town council, Sam Kitaka, also thanked Museveni for being merciful to the former inmates.
Asha Ali, Fahul’s daughter, said: “The president has scored 100%. We have nothing to give him in return. I can only appeal to the electorate to keep voting for him until he retires.â€
Salongo Kijambu, a businessman in Nakasero market, said Fadhul gave him a sh500 coin, which he had never held before.
“He would offer his vehicle to do errands in the village before he was arrested,†said Kijambu.
“The people of Bulumagi, Lugazi, Kitigoma, Nakibizzi, Mbiko and Njeru are very happy for President Museveni and we say that even if he doesnot give us anything, what he has done just enough,†an 80-year-old Sajjabi who is from a neighbouring village said.