When angry bull attacked Museveni

Back in the day. An illustration of President Museveni (left) running away from a bull that was charging towards his direction. Illustration by Danny Barongo

What you need to know:

Horrific. On that fateful Saturday, August 28, 1999, a heavyset and long-horned Nkore breed bull singled out President Museveni, who was dressed in a white Kaunda suit, and charged at him among guests in a tent, striking terror and sending the guests and crowd into stampede.

Kampala. President Museveni has a unique bond with cattle and often speaks fondly of the animals and frequently conducts visitors around his ranches in Rwakitura and Kisozi in Gomba District. But 18-years ago, the President had a disturbing encounter with Mayenzye, a prized bull, that nearly gored him in Luweero District.
On that fateful Saturday, August 28, 1999, at Ngoma Secondary School in Nakaseke County, the heavyset and long-horned Nkore breed bull, that weighed nearly 150 kilogrammes, broke loose, made a mad dash and charged at the President, forcing him to abandon his seat. Amid cries of terror and stampede from the guests and crowd, the decorated-General quickly took safety in the middle of other guests deep inside a tent.

All had been calm when suddenly, the brown bull, Rihogo or Ricina in Runyankore, singled out President Museveni, who was dressed in a white Kaunda suit, and charged at him among guests settled at the front row of the tent. The government bigwigs that day included then security minister Muruli Mukasa, Agriculture mminister Dr Wilberforce Kisamba Mugerwa, Education minister Dr Kidhu Makubuya, and Energy and Mineral Development minister Syda Bbumba.

An illustration showing a man wrestling a bull.


Other distinguished guests in the tent were Luweero District Council chairperson Mr Abdul Nadduli, Bishop Evans Mukasa of Luweero Diocese, and Members of Parliament Victoria Mwaka and Pascal Mukasa.

According to The Monitor newspaper of August 30, 1999, the bull that had its hind legs tethered by two ropes held by nearly 10 Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel, was being ushered forward for appreciation and auction by President Museveni, the chief guest at the function. The bull had been donated by James Mubeezi, a well-wisher, for a fundraising drive for Ngoma Secondary School that required Shs150 million to build.
While all had been calm, Rihogo suddenly overpowered its handlers and stormed the tent, destroying the army band equipment and other items brought for auction.
The bull that was moving and facing a different direction, swiftly changed course and darted towards the President. As the snorting animal closed on him, Mr Museveni, who hails from cattle keeping Nkore community, quickly sensed danger and reacted just in the nick of time.
The Monitor newspaper of August 30, 1999 wrote: “As the bull drew nearer, Museveni got out of his portable presidential chair and the table fell. He took about five big strides before a group of security officers, including the Minister for Security, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, shielded him”.

Soldier fights bull, saves Museveni

It was Akoragye who risked his life to save the President.

The human shield did not intimidate the irate bull. The paper wrote: “This did not, however, stop the bull from drawing nearer. The President’s ultimate saviour was one of his guards dressed in civilian attire and only identified as Patrick Akoragye”. It was Akoragye who risked his life to save the President.
The paper further wrote that: “Akoragye emerged from nowhere and planted himself right in front of the seething bull to save the President. Applying taekwondo skills, the guard hit the bull by the horns, forcing it to change direction. The bull, however, mounted a fresh attack against Akoragye and threw him about three metres away, before taking off with his grey jacket.” The paper added: “A courageous Akoragye rocked up and down with the wild bull, his pistol in his left hand. He sustained some injuries, including, reportedly a broken right side rib”. The bull then trotted away. The fracas is reported to have lasted about 10 minutes. When calm was restored, President Museveni took to the microphone to call his audience back and reportedly directed the organisers to leave cattle in the kraal where prospective buyers can find them.

Minister Muruli Mukasa was quoted by The Monitor as saying: “They have performed their duty very well, especially that young boy [Akoragye]”. For their part, ministers Kisamba Mugerwa and Ms Bumba were all praises to God for having saved the President’s life.
The Sunday Monitor has established that Akoragye is still a serving UPDF officer.
He is at the rank of captain and currently on a course at the Junior Command College in Jinja. When this newspaper contacted him about the incident, he said he needed to seek permission from the army to talk to us. He did not get back to us.

Bbumba speaks out

Syda Bbumba

Remembering. When Sunday Monitor contacted Ms Bbumba to recount the incident, in a telephone interview, she recollected: “Many cows had been brought for auction but there was one bull which went wild, destroying things which people had brought for fundraising and later, it went towards the direction where the President was seated. Many people scattered when the bull started destroying things. I remember I was seated behind the President. But when it got closer to the President, it was stopped by a PGB [Presidential Guard Brigade] soldier. I remember the soldier who fought it was a stout young man. He used commando skills and managed to divert it and it went away.”
Luweero significancy. Luweero Triangle is where Museveni waged a five-year bush war that catapulted him to put power that he has held for 31 years uninterrupted.

Why animals attack people

Experts’ views. On why animals attack people, including owners, Dr Samuel George Okech from Veterinary Department, Makerere University, says every case must be investigated to determine why it happened. And on why a cow would single out one person for attack among many, the vet says “the case must be investigated to come up with a conclusive reason”.
But another veterinary doctor from Makerere University, who preferred not to be named, has a different view. He says: “The animal could have previously been hurt by that person, or that person may look or be dressed like someone who once hurt that animal, and so the animal may want to revenge. Animals also have memory and can revenge.”

Fatal cases. Sometimes, domesticated animals can attack people and in worst case scenario, kill them. Sunday Monitor was informed of the people killed by their animals. William Kakyetero of Rushasha village, Rwembogo in Nyakagyeme Sub-county, Rukungiri District, was in the 1980s killed by his cow.
The cow, according to late Kakyetero’s neighbour, who spoke to the Sunday Monitor on phone but preferred anonymity, said the cow had been drinking alcohol from the trough and when the man went to chase it, it mauled and killed him.
Gersom Tukahirwa, a teacher at Nyakanyinya Primary School, Rukungiri District, was in the 1990s also killed by his cow. He was walking ahead of it as usual but on the fateful day, the animal attacked and killed him. Tukahirwa hailed from Ndere village, Ruhinda Sub-county, Rukungiri District.