Otafiire not on high command
Defence minister Amama Mbabazi yesterday issued a list of members of the High Command and senior officers as at January 26, 1986
By Joyce Namutebi
and John Odyek
Defence minister Amama Mbabazi yesterday issued a list of members of the High Command and senior officers as at January 26, 1986.
The list, which was issued to Parliament, said the Minister of Water, Lands and Environment, Col. Kahinda Otafiire, was not a member of the Historical High Command, contrary to what he told Parliament a fortnight ago.
It said Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader Col. Kizza Besigye was not a senior officer of the National Resistance Army (NRA), contrary to what he told The New Vision in an interview
recently.
Mbabazi promised the MPs names of the High Command members, who were senior officers as at January 26, 1986. This was during scrutiny of The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Bill, 2003.
He said he would move an amendment to have the names included in new schedules of the Bill.
Mbabazi said the High Command had eight officers, two of whom were dead, while the senior officers were 27, 15 of them alive.
The six members of the High Command still alive are Gen. (rtd) Yoweri Museveni, Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh, Lt. Gen. David Tinyefuza, Brig. (Hon) Eriya Kategaya and Brig. Matayo Kyaligonza. The dead are Maj. Gen. Fred Rwigyema and Brig. Tadeo Kanyankore.
The senior officers alive are Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Maj. Gen. Joram Mugume, Maj. Gen. Ivan Koreta, Brig. Jim Muhwezi, Brig. Steven Kashaka, Col. Kahinda Otafiire, Col. Pecos Kutesa, Col. J. Jihanda and Col. Peter Kerim. The others are Lt. Col. Fred Mwesigye, Lt. Col. Andrew Lutaaya, Lt. Col. Gyagenda Kibirango, Lt. Col. Ahmed Kashillingi, Lt. Col. Samson Mande and Lt. Col. Amin Izaruku.
The dead are Brig. Chefe Ali, Brig. G. Bamwesigye, Col. Patrick Lumumba, Col. Stanley Muhangi, Lt. Col. Ronald Bata, Lt. Col. Edward Barihona, Lt. Col. Frank Guma, Lt. Col. Serwanga Lwanga, Lt. Col. John Kyatuuka, Lt. Col. Akanga Byaruhanga, Lt. Col. Fred Mugisha and Maj. Enoka Maganja.
Mbabazi said in 1986 there were three categories of officers including members of the High Command, senior officers and junior officers, who were in two classes.
He said the question of setting up the High Command was discussed in 1981 and it was composed of people from active groups at the time.
He said by December 1982, members of the High Command were Museveni, Kategaya Rwigyema, Saleh, Sam Magala, Tumwine, Byaruhanga, Kyaligonza, Tinyefuza and Mr. Mutebi represented Uganda freedom fighters under the late former president, Prof. Yusuf Kironde Lule.
and John Odyek
Defence minister Amama Mbabazi yesterday issued a list of members of the High Command and senior officers as at January 26, 1986.
The list, which was issued to Parliament, said the Minister of Water, Lands and Environment, Col. Kahinda Otafiire, was not a member of the Historical High Command, contrary to what he told Parliament a fortnight ago.
It said Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) leader Col. Kizza Besigye was not a senior officer of the National Resistance Army (NRA), contrary to what he told The New Vision in an interview
recently.
Mbabazi promised the MPs names of the High Command members, who were senior officers as at January 26, 1986. This was during scrutiny of The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Bill, 2003.
He said he would move an amendment to have the names included in new schedules of the Bill.
Mbabazi said the High Command had eight officers, two of whom were dead, while the senior officers were 27, 15 of them alive.
The six members of the High Command still alive are Gen. (rtd) Yoweri Museveni, Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh, Lt. Gen. David Tinyefuza, Brig. (Hon) Eriya Kategaya and Brig. Matayo Kyaligonza. The dead are Maj. Gen. Fred Rwigyema and Brig. Tadeo Kanyankore.
The senior officers alive are Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, Maj. Gen. Joram Mugume, Maj. Gen. Ivan Koreta, Brig. Jim Muhwezi, Brig. Steven Kashaka, Col. Kahinda Otafiire, Col. Pecos Kutesa, Col. J. Jihanda and Col. Peter Kerim. The others are Lt. Col. Fred Mwesigye, Lt. Col. Andrew Lutaaya, Lt. Col. Gyagenda Kibirango, Lt. Col. Ahmed Kashillingi, Lt. Col. Samson Mande and Lt. Col. Amin Izaruku.
The dead are Brig. Chefe Ali, Brig. G. Bamwesigye, Col. Patrick Lumumba, Col. Stanley Muhangi, Lt. Col. Ronald Bata, Lt. Col. Edward Barihona, Lt. Col. Frank Guma, Lt. Col. Serwanga Lwanga, Lt. Col. John Kyatuuka, Lt. Col. Akanga Byaruhanga, Lt. Col. Fred Mugisha and Maj. Enoka Maganja.
Mbabazi said in 1986 there were three categories of officers including members of the High Command, senior officers and junior officers, who were in two classes.
He said the question of setting up the High Command was discussed in 1981 and it was composed of people from active groups at the time.
He said by December 1982, members of the High Command were Museveni, Kategaya Rwigyema, Saleh, Sam Magala, Tumwine, Byaruhanga, Kyaligonza, Tinyefuza and Mr. Mutebi represented Uganda freedom fighters under the late former president, Prof. Yusuf Kironde Lule.