Reflections on some events which occurred on August 12, 1985

Thirty three years ago Uganda experienced one of the most difficult, turbulent and uncertain times in her history. After Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLA) staged a reactionary, ill-advised and violent military coup on July 27, 1985, our beloved country was once again thrust under military rule. The ruling Military Council was led by Gen Tito Okello Lutwa who was deputised by Brig Gad Wilson Toko.
The political situation in Uganda, especially in and around Kampala was very fluid. In an attempt to stabilise the rapidly deteriorating situation, the Military Council invited all guerrilla groups which had been fighting the Obote II regime to cease fire and join the military junta.
All fighting forces, including the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM), Former Ugandan National Army (FUNA) and Federal Democratic Movement of Uganda (FEDEMU), responded positively to the invitation, except the National Resistance Army (NRA) which fought a bloody civil war in Luweero for almost six years.
The Military Council bent over backwards to accommodate NRA, including accepting to hold peace talks with leaders of the guerrilla army in Dar es Salaam under the chairmanship of the esteemed and respected Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. Following protracted behind-the-scenes negotiations, it was agreed that the talks would be held in Tanzania and be formally opened by Nyerere in Dar es Salaam on August 12, 1985.
What happened on that auspicious day reminds me of a parable of Jesus Christ recorded in Matthew 22: 1-14 titled ‘The Parable of the Wedding Feast’. According to the story, a king prepared a feast and invited guests for the grand occasion, but many of the invited guests did not honour the royal invitation; some gave dubious excuses for not showing up. It’s worth reading the story.
Nyerere faced a similar situation on August 12, 1985. The NRA delegation, which agreed to attend the opening ceremony of the Uganda peace talks in Dar es Salaam, did not show up and, to the best of my knowledge, the leader of delegation did not call or send a message to inform the moderator that due to unforeseen developments his delegation would not come.
As mentioned in my Sunday Monitor opinion of August 27, 2017, titled, “On the enduring legacy of Brig Gad Wilson Toko” Ambassador Daudi Taliwaku (RIP), a Uganda government official who attended the abortive peace talks, told me that Mwalimu warned Gen Tito Okello about the dangerous and difficult road which lay ahead of him. Brig Toko confirmed the story Taliwaku told me.
With the benefit of hindsight, many of the fears and misgivings Nyerere expressed in August 1985 about the future of Uganda have sadly come to pass. Mwalimu advised Gen Okello to take his opponent seriously, not underrate him and warned prophetically about the danger of Uganda degenerating once again to the dark days of Gen Amin who was overthrown by Tanzanian forces in 1979.
During those dark days, institutions such as the Judiciary and police were rendered dysfunctional and almost worthless; the rule of law was flushed down the drain; “big daddy” was so obsessed with the AK-47 that the gun became standard solution for political, economic and social problems; lawlessness and insecurity were commonplace; violence was rampant and the future of Uganda was bleak.
Amin was driven by lust for power. He had the guts and honesty to appoint himself life president. Mwalimu lamented and expressed fears about what he called the rise of another Idi Amin, albeit an educated one. For the record, Mwalimu did not mention any names. In my humble opinion, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere is a Saint.
Ugandans of my generation will recall a question which a young revolutionary leader posed at the 1986 OAU summit. He asked the assembly of heads of state gathered in Addis Ababa, what is Africa’s problem? Africa’s problem, he answered, is leaders who overstay in power. The freedom fighter got a standing ovation.
If Africans do not learn and remember the lessons of their history and robustly defend their inalienable rights, fundamental freedoms and national interests, they will remain backward and continue to suffer with bitterness. May God bless Africa!