Why Muwanga, Oyite-Ojok arrested Museveni

In 1980, for reasons similar to what has led FDC leader Kizza Besigye to be confined to his home, Fronasa’s Yoweri Museveni was arrested for fear that he would use unconstitutional means to overthrow the government.

It took the bravery of 2nd Lt Caleb Akandwanaho, aka Salim Saleh, to save Museveni, then vice chairman of the Military Commission and minister for Regional Cooperation, from being put under house arrest or even possible elimination on the orders of Paulo Muwanga and David Oyite-Ojok.

Museveni had been cornered at a roadblock in Kireka in Kampala, but Salim Saleh – his younger brother – managed to save him. Saleh, however, had to pay the price for defying military orders and releasing his brother.

Genesis
After former president Godfrey Binaisa was ousted by the Military Commission on May 12, 1980, and put under house arrest in Entebbe, next on the list was Museveni.
The fear that Museveni could stage a coup was reason the Muwanga-led Military Commission wanted him confined.

After the fall of Kampala on April 11, 1979, the Museveni-led Fronasa became a force to reckon with. At 35 years, Museveni was the vice chairman of the Military Commission and deputy minister of Defence.

With these two portfolios, Museveni was the highest ranked person from western Uganda. Though not so popular in the eyes of the public, Museveni had become a power to worry about.

His becoming powerful had started earlier during the war to oust former president Idi Amin. Kikosi Maalum senior commanders who were from northern Uganda realised that Museveni had recruited many fighters from western Uganda into his Fronasa ranks.
After they became suspicious of his motive, Museveni was summoned to Tanzania by then president Julius Nyerere to explain the allegations.
Meanwhile, Kikosi Maalum senior commanders had nicknamed Museveni “Law-abilo” (the man with seven eyes in their Acholi). They named him so because they believed he was able to foresee situations better than them.

Around the time Museveni was arrested, Milton Obote had just returned from exile and the political tempo in the country was so tense, especially with the removal of Binaisa after Yusuf Lule, another Muganda.

“Even people who had not been DP supporters before decided to join the party in order to present a front against the hated Obote,” says Museveni on page 116 of this book Sowing the Mustard Seed.

“We could bide our time, knowing fully well that the politicians would fail, and when our position was strong enough, we could use our military position to get rid of the whole lot of them,” Museveni wrote of his coup plot on page 117.

It was believed that Museveni wanted to join forces with others opposed to Obote to stage a coup. And it was for that reason that he was supposed to be incarcerated until Obote had settled in State House.

Museveni arrested
Sunday Monitor caught up with a source who asked not to be named who was close to the National Security Service (NSS) headed by Amon Bazira, a Mukonjo from Kasese District.

The source believes that Museveni was arrested in May 1980 shortly after Binaisa had been toppled. And while Museveni has always insisted that his arrest was caused by Muwanga and Oyite-Ojok, the source thinks otherwise.
“As a matter of fact, Museveni was arrested by Bazilio [Okello] who had a grudge with him since their days in Tanzania,” the source says, adding “Bazilio used to despise Museveni saying, ‘Museveni ajui mambo za jeshi, ajui siasi. Anajua kucunga ngombe peke’ (Museveni doesn’t know military affairs, he doesn’t know politics, he only knows how to keep cattle).”
“He [Museveni] was not interrogated and was treated well at the roadblock. While still there, his people rescued him and took him to his home in Kololo.”

Asked how he knew that Museveni had been arrested, source says: “When the coup [against Binaisa] was boiling, I got wind of it. It was planned in Room 206 at the Nile Mansions [now Kampala Serena Hotel].

Because of the intrigue between the Acholi and Langi, especially in the army, and having known that Museveni had a good number of soldiers he had trained in the army, we wanted to share with him the idea of him taking over after the removal of Binaisa. He [Museveni] was from what would be a neutral tribe.”
“I and other two colleagues went looking for Museveni to tell him to be ready to take over. But the man was nowhere to be seen. We went to his home in Kololo and he was not there. Then in the evening, through one of my colleagues in government, we heard that Museveni had been arrested but no one could tell where he had been taken.”

The source, who was a friend to Wycliffe Kazzora – Museveni’s late brother-in law and once a minister in the NRM government – said Museveni was arrested while on his way to exile in Tanzania.

“The situation had become too dangerous for him. On the advice of his brother-in-law Kazzora, he had decided to flee the country. He wanted to go outside the country, organise a force and return to launch a guerrilla war,” the source says.

Although Museveni has on several occasions spoken about his arrest in 1980, which his wife Janet also mentions in her book, they don’t mention where they were going that evening with their infant son Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Not even Saleh who commanded a section of Museveni’s escorts who included the late Fred Rwigyema on the rescue mission could tell where Museveni, his wife and their son were headed to.

In an interview Saleh gave the Veteran Year Book of June-September 1993, he said: “I had hardly spent a week in Kampala when he [Museveni] one day left us to drive his wife and son to some place I do not remember.”
Saleh had just come from his work station in Moroto to stay with Museveni during his short break.

“At around midnight, I was asleep [at Museveni’s home in Kololo] after taking some drinks when I was woken up by somebody. I think it was the house girl. She told me that Mzee had been arrested at a roadblock together with the wife and son [Muhoozi]. I could not believe it! A whole minister! How could he be arrested like that?” Saleh said.

Rescues mission
Meanwhile, Saleh had contacted some colleagues who included Sam Katabarwa and Rubereeza, but they feared to act because the mission was too risky.

“I proposed that we should move onto the roadblock and crush it. And if we were killed there, that is good for us and for him [Museveni] because we had always warned him to increase his security but he did not listen,” Saleh revealed.

Saleh, Rwigyema, 2nd Lt Kasasira, among others, rushed to the Kireka roadblock and found Museveni, his wife and son seated down.

He told the soldiers to set the Musevenis free, to which they refused saying they had orders from above to detain him. Saleh then threatened to shoot them. At this point, the soldiers accepted but on condition that Saleh signed a document indicating that he was responsible for Museven’s release.

After the rescue, Museveni was returned to his home in Kololo. However, three days later Saleh was arrested and taken before Lt Col Oyite-Ojok and later dumped in a military prison. It was time for Museveni to rescue Saleh.

The incensed Museveni confronted Muwanga and warned him that if Saleh dies, Muwanga and others would also die. Soon Saleh was released and returned to Moroto Barracks where he was stationed until the Bush War stated on February 6, 1981.

About political persecution in Uganda

Jailing political opponents and other dissenting voices to subdue them is a common tool used in Africa. King Edward Muteesa II of Buganda, though not a political leader, was one of the first Ugandans to use it against a fellow countryman.

In 1961, Muteesa arrested and detained Monsignor Joseph Sebayiga for two hours at his Mengo prison.

Monsignor was then Domestic Prelate of Rubaga Diocese, Kampala, deputising Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka whom Muteesa wanted arrested but had travelled to Rome and the Buganda police instead picked Monsignor Sebayiga whom they found at Rubaga.

Monsignor became the first clergy and highest profiled Ugandan victim of the arbitrary arrest by the leader.
In February 1966, prime minister Milton Obote became the second Ugandan leader to do so when he arrested the five Cabinet ministers who were opposed to his leadership style.
Idi Amin did not prefer to imprison his opponents, but eliminate them.