NRM day special supplement

Jan 26, 2017

31 years of shared victory

All ugandans share in NRM’s success story

By John Semakula and Nicholas Wasajja

When the National Resistance Army (NRA) captured state power on this day in 1986, it set out to transform the country politically, socially and economically. The progress made over the years has been the result of shared effort which rhymes with the theme for the 31st anniversary: Uganda’s Success story under NRM leadership: A shared Victory.

According to the NRM deputy secretary general, Richard Todwong, the theme recognises every individual contribution to the success registered by the NRM government. He says each Ugandan has been a cornerstone in the success story of the NRM government right from the time President Yoweri Museveni launched the liberation struggle in 1981.

According to NRM secretariat spokesperson Rogers Mulindwa, the choice of the theme is to appreciate the role Ugandans have played in building the country.

“We believe that every Ugandan of goodwill has supported the NRM government in one way or the other. We have teachers who, besides teaching academic work to learners in class, have also instilled the spirit of patriotism,” Mulindwa says.

ncouraging the adoption of modern agricultural practices will consolidate the achievements of the partyEncouraging the adoption of modern agricultural practices will consolidate the achievements of the party

 

He also cites the role of religious leaders who he said stand on the podium to preach the gospel and also preach unity and love for Uganda.

Mulindwa added that the theme is intended to remind Ugandans about the first achievements of NRM in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

“Having been in power for 30 years, some Ugandans have forgotten those achievements. People have forgotten that we used to have roadblocks everywhere in the country before NRM took over power; that many children were not going to school and each region had one referral hospital,” Mulindwa says.

Today also marks almost a year the electorate renewed the mandate of the NRM for another five-year term. The current vision is to propel the country to attain a middle income status by 2020. When the NRM took over power in 1986, it tagged along the famous Ten-Point Programme which outlined ambitious promises to transform the country. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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History returns to Masindi

By Geoffrey Mutegeki

Cosmas Byaruhanga was a Primary Seven pupil in February 1984, when the National Resistance Army (NRA) soldiers attacked Masindi Barracks.

Byaruhanga recalls the day, when about 700 NRA fighters, commanded by Gen. Salim Saleh, overran Masindi barracks and captured rifles. On that day, Byaruhanga was supposed to participate in the district athletics competitions at Ikoba Boys’ Primary School.

Flashback

He set off for school, but at around 9:30am while they gathered at school, they heard bullets and heavy gunfire from the direction of Masindi town, where the barracks is located.

Ikoba Boys’ Primary School about 7km from Masindi town along Masindi-Homa road. “My father Gabriel Wandera, who was a rebel collaborator, had warned me not to go to school that day, but because I loved athletics, I sneaked from home to school.

ommercial street in asindi town hoto by eoffrey utegekiCommercial street in Masindi town. Photo by Geoffrey Mutegeki

 

However, a few minutes after reaching school, I started hearing bullets,” Byaruhanga says. Following the gunfire, the teachers called an assembly and ordered all the pupils to go home.

“We were not so worried about the gunfire because we knew the rebels were friendly. Our biggest worry was what would happen the following day, because the government soldiers were brutal,” Byaruhanga says.

At that time, Masindi was a small sleepy town. It had not yet suffered effects of the war like the neighbouring districts of Nakasongola and Luwero. In fact, no one seemed to have anticipated an attack on the barracks since it had a well-equipped armory.

Arrests

According to Byaruhanga, after the attack on the barracks, several people believed to be rebel collaborators were arrested. Some were later released, but others were killed extrajudicially.

“Many people, who were not Uganda People’s Congress supporters, including my father, were arrested. He was later released,” Byaruhanga says.

The attack on Masindi is considered a turning point in the war as it enabled the NRA soldiers to capture 770 rifles. Maj. Gen. Pecos Kutesa, who was one of the attackers at Masindi, says they got more weapons from Masindi barracks than they had expected. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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Yusuf Lule, the NRM chairman who did not live to see its victory

By Tadeo Bwambale

Yusuf Kironde Lule, the first NRM chairman is perhaps better known as the president who served the shortest time as the head of state in Uganda-just 68 days from April 13 to June 20, 1979.

A former Principal of Makerere University College, the academic found himself at the helm of power, even though the events leading to his removal from power still unravel in bits to this day.

After the fall of Idi Amin in 1979, Lule was appointed chairman of the Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) and President of the Republic of Uganda at the unity conference in Tanzania.

However, disagreements by key actors over the political direction soon took centre stage as the academician sought to assert his authority and establish a system of administration.

usuf ule was the chairman of the  until his death in 1985Yusuf Lule was the chairman of the NRM until his death in 1985

 

His government adopted a ministerial system of governance and created a semi-parliamentary organ known as the National Consultative Commission (NCC).

However, the NCC and his cabinet soon had divergent views on the political direction, marking the start of a plot to force him out of power and replace him with Godfrey Binaisa.

As president, he had allegedly made-wide ranging appointments in government without consulting the NCC and on June 20, 1979, the NCC removed him.

For instance, Lule is said to have proposed reforms to the recruitment system into the armed forces, seen as an affront to the establishment structure.

His initial successor, Prof Edward Rugumayo was met with protests, especially in Buganda where many went to the streets in largely ethnicinspired dissent.

rof usuf ule chairing a cabinet meeting at the time he was presidentProf. Yusuf Lule chairing a cabinet meeting at the time he was president

 

Just like Lule was initially seen as a compromise candidate, Binaisa’s appointment was met with charm among the majority Baganda. Lule had risen to prominence at a time of turbulence and was largely seen as a unifying figure of all Ugandans as Idi Amin’s government crumbled.

His departure from the centre of power has over the years been interpreted differently, with some attributing it to intrigue while others blame political inexperience.

He was said to be strict and principled and had left a good record of service as civil servant in the British colonial government and principal of Makerere University College – now Makerere University Kampala.

Veteran minister, Mayanja Nkangi recalls Lule as being a brilliant man of ‘calm demeanor’ whose life was not cut for politics. “He was a bright man but was not keen on politics,” Nkangi narrates in an interview with New Vision. Analysts believe Lule, an academician had attempted to read SEE MORE

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Key legal milestones since 1986

By Moses Walubiri

Uganda’s turbulent and serpentine post independency journey has had an effect on its legal landscape leaving it dotted with all manner of legal regimes, some expedient, as different regimes struggled to retain political power.

In a period of less than 10 years after the sun set on the British Empire in Uganda, the country, during one of its tumultuous episodes, had had three constitutions – 1962 independence constitution, 1966 ‘pigeon hall’ constitution and the 1967 constitution which abolished kingdoms in Uganda.

In other legal aspects, Uganda, like many other former British colonies, despite its Parliament enacting laws in form of Acts of Parliament was still largely depending on colonial legislations – some of which had been enacted by the British to administer India.

ganda has passed a number of laws in a bid to safeguard its people he most recent is the vidence ctUganda has passed a number of laws in a bid to safeguard its people. The most recent is the Evidence Act

 

One egregious example of the latter is the Evidence Act which is a law initially enacted in India, but adopted in Uganda with some minor tweaks to suit Ugandan circumstances.

At the time National Resistance Movement (NRM) captured power 31 years ago, Uganda’s landscape was a potpourri of sorts – a constitution that some criticised for getting promulgated without widespread consultation of Ugandans and Acts of Parliament that were either colonial relics or out rightly imported from former British colonies like India and Ceylon (Sri lanka).

Legal Notice No. 1

Upon assumption of power, the first key legal milestone by the NRM government was proclamation of Legal Notice No.1 of 1986. The Legal Notice No.1, which was tailored to give NRM legitimacy, had a direct impact on the 1967 Republican constitution as it saw a number of Articles – especially those relating to the Bill of Rights suspended.

The Legal Notice No.1 which was proclaimed a few days after President Yoweri Museveni’s rebel outfit hastily drew curtains on Tito Okello’s shortlived military junta in a way gave legal effect to the different arms of the erstwhile rebel group.

Henceforth, the National Resistance Army (NRA), National Resistance Council (NRC) and National Resistance Movement (NRM) got clothed in legality.

The Legal Notice vested supreme authority in the NRC. Chaired by Museveni who was also NRM chairman, the NRC doubled as Uganda’s parliament. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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I saw Kampala fall, says Kiwujjo

By Vision Reporter Godfrey

Kibunga Kiwujjo, 51, had just completed his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education at Caltec Academy Makerere in Kampala when the National Resistance Army fighters captured Kampala in 1986. He was at the time working at his father’s workshop in Katwe, a Kampala suburb, and witnessed events prior and to the actual capture of power. He is now a mechanic in town. In his own words, he narrates some of what he remembers:

I was born and raised in Jjuuko Zone in Kibuye, located on the gateway to Kampala City from Entebbe International Airport. My home was also the main entrance to the capital from the western and south western Uganda routes.

I was a day student all my school life and I worked parttime in my father, Lukka Kiwujjo’s workshop in Katwe popularly known as Battery Charging, Dainum and Self- Starter repairing, half a kilometre from my home.

I had just completed Senior Six at and I was in my long vacation when the National Resistance Army (NRA) fighters captured Kampala. The situation in Kampala started turning fragile and volatile during the previous year 1985.

We lived and worked between two major army barracks, Makindye Military barracks and Lubiri, formerly the Kabaka of Buganda’s palace which housed the army headquarters and a barracks.

iwujjo witnessed s entry into ampalaKiwujjo witnessed NRA’s entry into Kampala

 

Armed soldiers from either side would move out of their bases and walk to the city and its suburbs without any command or supervision.

I remember offices in the city started closing at 4:00pm on weekdays and everyone, including workers and civil servants would rush home. Schools closed at the same time, but by the time we walked through the city all offices and shops would be closed.

You would only see soldiers and students in school uniform walking on the streets. Students were always treated differently because soldiers knew they did not have money.

But they would intercept people anywhere and demand for money. It was so tense that you would be lucky to leave the city beyond 4:00pm and reach home without any incident.

Indisciplined soldiers

Armed soldiers started sneaking out of the two barracks at dawn and moved in different directions either individually or in groups. They intercepted civilians anywhere any time and used a mixture of Swahili and Luganda.

They could never engage in any other conversation with people apart from when demanding for money. “Wewe, onayo kintu kyote?” meaning do you have anything? They would bark at a civilian they came across when asking for money and in any case of delay to respond CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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Three decades of peace, security

When the National Resistance Army led by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni came to power in January 1986, the prime question was whether the new government could break the cycle of insecurity and anarchy that had afflicted the country since independence in 1962, for each new government had pledged to fix the security issue, but had failed.

However, the NRM government under the leadership of President Museveni has dealt with this issue in an exceptional manner. The NRM government has been committed to ensuring a secure and peaceful Uganda by promoting and upholding democracy and good governance as core values for national socio-economic transformation.

In 1986, President Museveni inherited a police force of 8,000 men. A screening exercise was done and of the 8,000 men only 3,000 qualified as police officers. The Government augmented this force by contracting 2,000 retired Police officers.

However, at 5,000 the force was still too small to maintain law and order. The force has grown over the years and now stands at over 30,000 officers.

Since 1986, the focus has been on professionalising and modernising the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and building the Uganda Police Force’s capabilities, strengthening capacity of intelligence agencies and ensuring that the country’s overall security is good by combating antidevelopment forces within and outside Uganda.

ormer chief of defence forces atumba amala inspects a guard of honour he  formerly  has grown from a ragtag guerrilla group into a professional armyFormer chief of defence forces Katumba Wamala inspects a guard of honour. The UPDF (formerly NRA) has grown from a rag-tag guerrilla group into a professional army

 

Professionalism

In line with the vision of professionalising the army, the NRM Government put emphasis on capacity building and the training of the UPDF to meet local and international challenges.

Previously, senior officers were trained in the UK, Libya, Tanzania, US, Nigeria and other countries and this had limitations as only a few officers, many a time less than five, could be trained annually due to costs.

In 2009, after the regime established her own training schools, the UPDF trained the largest number of both new recruits and officers since independence.

Over 9,000 soldiers were passed out at Singo and Kaweweta in Nakaseke and Kabamba in Mubende. Special troops have also been trained at Kalama (tanks and armoured vehicles) and at Butiaba (artillery and air-force).

Due to the enhanced capacity of the defence and security forces and the co-operation of regional sister countries, Uganda has remained stable and peaceful.

The Government has also in particular, successfully countered terrorism through early detection and foiling of terror attack attempts within and outside the country. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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Tracing the roots of SFC

By Joshua Kato

When he was redeployed as a presidential advisor on Special Forces, there is one big legacy that Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba left behind. This is the development and professionalisation of a Special Forces unit within the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

“I have to say, I am leaving behind a well-trained unit,” he said, last week during a TV interview. And yet, until a few years ago, the unit was only largely known to keep the commanders in chief securitylargely as a Presidential Guard Brigade (PGB).

In the last 15 years, however, the unit has gradually developed into a fully-fledged special supportive element within the UPDF, capable of carrying out operations within and outside the country.

Somalia operations

In the sandy, destroyed buildings of Mogadishu, the militant group, the Al shaabab had deployed units of their best snipers, most of whom were from among a legion of specialised ‘foreign fighters’ within their ranks to help them stop a UPDF led AMISOM offensive to capture the whole of Mogadishu.

“They still controlled almost half of the dilapidated city, including Bakara Market,” a UPDF soldier says. Bakara market was the business hub of the city. So in order to stop the UPDF from advancing, they stationed their best snipers on the tall buildings in Bakara market.

aj en uhoozi ainerugaba left handing over the leadership of  to ol on abasaMaj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (left) handing over the leadership of SFC to Col. Don Nabasa

 

And indeed for days, the militants virtually stopped the advancing forces using snipers. Something drastic had to be done. To counter these snipers, better snipers had to be deployed.

UPDF then decided to deploy elements of her Special Forces snipers to stop the Al Shaabab snipers. SFC units, since 2011, have also been active in the African Union Peace Keeping Operation in Somalia (AMISOM) and played a key role in the liberation of Mogadishu and other areas from the strangle-hold of the extremist terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.

In particular, numerous Al Shabaab fighters were neutralised by SFC snipers in the Battle for Mogadishu (July to August 2011). The SFC continues to have an important role in intelligence and psychological operations in Somalia and also regularly carries out raids and cordon and search operations.

“Even the Al shabaab realised that UPDF had got ‘dangerous elements’, when the SFC units were deployed in the Somalia theatre,” a former AMISOM soldier who took part in the battle for Mogadishu says.

In the Battle for Mogadishu, SFC snipers stood out against tens of snipers hired by Al shabaab mainly originating from countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Palestine.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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Quality education and sports for all

In 1986 when the NRM government came to power, President Yoweri Museveni’s message was that of fundamental change. In no other sector has this fundamental change been so evident than in the education sector. The liberalisation of education right from basic to tertiary levels was a massive revolution. Through Universal Primary Education, which was introduced in 1997 and Universal Secondary Education, which was introduced in 2007, as well as the university students loan scheme, the NRM has indeed shown commitment to empowering the country’s young people for a better future.

Prior to 1986, the governments that managed Uganda may have had a relatively smaller population to deal with but owing to various challenges that new independent governments faced at the time, they did not expand the country’s education infrastructure to serve all the Ugandans, including those in the rural communities.

As a result, the country continued to survive by the bare minimum that had been put in place by the colonial government for the nine million people _ the population at that time in the 1970s.

While the population grew, the number of schools remained the same. By 1986 when the NRM government assumed power, Uganda’s population had more than doubled that of 1962 but the schools had remained the very ones that existed at independence.

The NRM government had a crisis on its hands, yet the predicament was not just of education as a sector alone. For instance, the national total revenue at the time was sh5b, which would have to be divided among all the sectors.

With such a scenario, the crisis of the education sector was to try and fill the gap of the needed classroom space to accommodate the population of pupils at school at that time.

irst ady and inister of ducation and ports rs anet useveni interacts with school childrenFirst Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni interacts with school children

 

Many interventions were quickly made by the government over the next decade (1986-1996), which led to improvements in the sector. But in 1997 when the NRM government opened the door wider to all Uganda’s children to access universal primary and secondary education, the challenges in education became enormous.

These included, limited classroom space and a wider teacher-pupil ratio. These are the challenges the Government has been grappling with in its quest to provide quality education.

Uganda is a signatory to many international commitments that are all geared towards the provision of inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities for all.

In order to meet its targets in the sector, the government has since 1993 been monitoring and evaluating the quality, quantity, efficiency and accountability of service delivery using a sector wide approach (SWAp) through its annual education and sports sector review.

This 23rd Annual Sector Review took place in Kampala between August 30 and September 2 under the theme: “Re-aligning school governance and management towards sustainable quality of education and training outcomes”.

Just like Hon. Janet Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports, said during the closing of the sector review, the NRM Government continues to focus on issues of access, quality and relevant education for all children in Uganda considering that universal and equitable access for both girls’ and boys’ education is not just a development goal but a fundamental human right as per Article 30 of the 1995 Constitution.

Hon. Janet Museveni said taking education as an entitlement seriously implies that the Government and all the other stakeholders have to deal directly with the challenges of improving the quality of education and training at all levels of education — a task that calls for building strong cross-sectoral linkages, networking, collaborations and most importantly we the actors doing what we ought to do. The review of the Government White CLICK HERE FOR MORE

 

 

 

 

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