Museveni, former UNLA commander in talks

Maj Charles Mityero, a former UNLA commander, in Kampala on Monday. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU

KAMPALA. A former top army commander in the Obote II regime has indicated his willingness to return from 28 years of self-imposed exile after President Museveni convinced him to do so.
Maj Charles Mityero, who has been living in exile in London, United Kingdom, told Daily Monitor this week in Kampala that he is holding talks with the President in view of him returning home permanently.
“The President sent a delegation to meet me in London to convince me to return home. I was hesitant but they persuaded me to visit. What I have seen is contrary to claims that Uganda is not progressing. Things are very different here,” said Maj Mityero, who left the country in 1986.
“I know the President personally. He recruited me and Gen Elly Tumwine to go and train in Monduli Military Academy in northern Tanzania just after the Idi Amin regime had collapsed,” he said.
Gen Tumwine would later fire the first shot in 1981 that marked the start of the five-year National Resistance Army rebellion which ushered Mr Museveni into power in 1986.
Maj Mityero, who despite being in touch with the President, is yet to meet him physically, says he still talks to his comrades such as Gen Tumwine, Gen Katumba Wamala, the current army boss, and Gen Salim Saleh, the President’s younger brother.
Maj Mityero said he was convinced to return home by President Museveni’s emissaries: the former presidency minister, Ms Beatrice Wabudeya, and the External Security Organisation director, Mr Robert Masolo.

Who is Maj Charles Mityero?

Maj Charles Mityero, 56, who was the deputy commandant of what was then known as the Eastern Brigade (current Third Division) under the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), said he was recruited into the army by President Museveni in 1978.
In the UNLA, Maj Mityero served under Lt Col Kenneth Kilama, who commanded the brigade.
Maj Mityero commanded the force that tried to stop the National Resistance Army from capturing Mbale Town as it moved to capture eastern Uganda.