The military coup of 1985

Back in time. The Obote II regime, that assumed control in 1980, was toppled in a military coup in 1985. This was after the army became weary when the highly capable Maj. Gen. Oyite-Ojok died in a helicopter accident at the end of 1983. A split along ethnic lines was inevitable, resulting into a coup, writes Samuel Oduny

Lt. Col. John Ogole was overall commader of the operation in Luwero against the National Resistant Army (NRA). One day Col. Ogole went to the army headquarters in Kampala, leaving Lt. Col. Kennedy Kilama in charge. Col. Kilama commanded an extended line of troops from Katikamu Tactical Headquaters to go inside the villages, killing, literary, any living thing. When Col. Ogole returned, he found many innocent people had been killed. The order made by Col. Kilama made Col. Ogole to write to the Chief of Staff to transfer Col. Kilama back to his mother unit Tororo where he was the Commanding Officer. Lt. Col. Eric Odwar was deployed to replace Col. Kilama as the second in command; a thing the Acholi saw as open tribalism on the part of of the Langi.

Hostilities continued in the army between the Acholi and the Langi. In Kampala, there were some Armoured Personnel Carriers at Makindye under the command of Capt. Ocero Nagai. He ordered the removal of the APC from Makindye to Mbuya without the knowledge of the Chief of Staff. Capt. Nagai’s plan was to drive the APC to Radio Uganda and announce a coup. But the Army Chief of Staff went to Mbuya and removed the APCs. That was why the Vice President, Paul Muwanga, described the incident as uncoordinated movement of troops.

Another incident that intensified the tension between Lango and Acholi was when the Chief of Logistics and Engineering, Col. Langoya had gone to Germany for treatment. When he returned, he went straight to Lamwo in Kitgum District without reporting to the Chief of Staff that he had returned from abroad. When the Chief of Staff heard of that, he was so much embarrassed that he ordered for Col. Langoya’s sacking.

Hatred escalated
The hatred between the Acholi and the Langi escalated when two Langi officers, Maj. Olwol and Lt. Okabo from Makindye bombed houses of officers like Ocero Nagai at Bugolobi and that of Lt. Col. Obonyo at Entebbe, without any order from the Chief of Staff. The Northern Brigade moved very fast from Gulu to Kampala. Without any order, the young officers entered Radio Uganda and announced a coup when Bazilo the Brigade Commander, was still in Gulu with some DP members.

Soldiers went on rampage in Kampala, looting all the shops and show rooms, especially those that were selling vehicles. Looting went on in residential areas and embassies as well.
Since the announcement was made childishly, Col. Maruru was called to correct the mistakes already done by some junior officers.The previous announcement had not stated the reasons for the coup. Col. Maruru made a fresh announcement while closing the borders and the airport. All officers were summoned to Standard Hotel opposite Apollo Hotel by then. Bazilo arrived in in the night and made the announcement the following morning, which was Sunday.

General Tito Okello was instated as the Chairman of the Military Commission and Head of State. Running the government became very difficult for Tito Okello when the division between the Acholi of Kigum and Gulu widened. Soldiers from Kitgum were accusing the ones in Gulu of supporting Obote and that was why Lt. Kilama went to Mbale and arrested Brig. Nyero, who was the Brigade Commander, because he hailed from GUlu and supported Obote. All other tribes watched from the side until the military junta of Tito Okello fell by itself.

The Writer was a soldier in the former UNLA and resident of Gulu.