Mutale orders the arrest of his accusers at a trial

Sep 18, 2009

MAJOR Roland Kakooza Mutale, a special presidential advisor on political affairs, is a man whose life has been characterised by controversy.

By Chris Kiwawulo

MAJOR Roland Kakooza Mutale, a special presidential advisor on political affairs, is a man whose life has been characterised by controversy.

The accountant first came to the limelight in 1979 after the fall of President Idi Amin, when he formed The Economy newspaper. The hard-hitting nature of the publication quickly earned him fame.

It is said through his paper, Mutale investigated and exposed several political and economic scandals. Because of his criticism, he was on several occasions arrested, tortured and imprisoned, especially during the Obote II regime (1980-85).

In 1982, Obote closed the newspaper. Mutale later turned to Mulengera, a Luganda weekly, equally critical of the Government.

But after several stints in jail, Mutale escaped to Luweero and formed a guerilla group called Vumbula. His group later joined President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Army, which captured power in 1986.

Upon capturing power, Museveni appointed Mutale the first commandant of the National School of Political Education and Military Science then based in Namugongo, Wakiso district. The school is now in Kyankwanzi, Kiboga district.

When he was a leader of the military academy, two cadres and four soldiers were shot in the school after he failed to coordinate communication with the army.

Following the incident, Mutale was arrested and put on katebe (not deployed). He resumed publishing his English newspaper, The Economy. He would reportedly turn up at his office in a suit, driving a tractor.

“He would put his briefcase and a loaded AK 47 in a corner, before starting the day’s work,” reminisces one of his bodyguards.

Before the 1996 and 2001 presidential elections, Mutale campaigned aggressively for President Museveni. In fact after the 2001 elections, Museveni offered him a Cabinet post, but he declined it. The President re-appointed him the presidential advisor on political affairs.

In January this year, Mutale was arrested with Lwemiyaga MP Theodre Ssekikubo at Kirama trading centre, Ntuusi sub-county in Sembabule district, for breach of campaign guidelines.

The two were campaigning for independent candidate Joy Kabatsi against Anifa Kawooya or the district Woman MP seat. They were later released.

Little is known about the politician’s wealth, but he is said to own a farm in Luweero, a house on Gayaza Road and a fleet of old cars.

While recounting his National Resistance Army (NRA) bush-war memories in the jungles of Luweero, Maj. Rubaramira Ruranga remembered Mutale as a rebellious man.

Ruranga was quoted in the press, as saying that Mutale was one of his prominent prisoners. “Mutale had become a problem; he was organising Baganda to revolt.”

He added: “One day, Museveni convened a meeting and addressed us with Mutale seated on the ground in the middle.

President Museveni kept poking Mutale’s stomach with a stick as he lectured us about the ills of sectarianism.”

Believed to be in his early 60s, Mutale was born in Mpigi district. An 81-year-old Bulasitoni Misanvu claims to be Mutale’s father.

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