One man’s tale of Tarehe Sita: Kasirye Ggwanga

Brig. Kasirye Ggwanga, the Presidential Adviser on Security in Buganda region, has scoffed at the credibility of the army titles saying, “they cannot be trusted.”

In an exclusive interview with Sunday Monitor at his Kisoga-based farm in Mukono District this week, the controversial long time soldier who will retire this year in August, explained why after 40 years in army service in general and 26, in particular, with the UPDF, he has never been appointed a General or even army chief.

“I am difficult to deal with, I would be bothering the President for my soldiers’ welfare,” he says. As though to paint an impression of those serving in the army as puppets, he said the army faces numerous challenges but top among them is, “they are used as robots; they can’t stand on their own.”

Reacting to critics who assert that the President has personalised the army by making it more loyal to him than the national flag, Brig. Ggwanga sounds a warning to the President. “I don’t think so but if he has, he will pay the price. [Idi] Amin did when those who were close to him abandoned him.”

Delegating duties
He calls on President Museveni to delegate duties and not make public statements that jeopardise other peoples work. Last year, the President described Police Chief Kale Kayihura as a “good cadre of the NRM.” According to Brig. Ggwanga, such utterances bring to disrepute pubic officers’ in their daily roles.

“People should be careful with their utterances because young people are all ears,” he said. Brig. Ggwanga castigates the army for taking up posts in Parliament, wondering what business they have in the August House. “Driving cars of Shs100 million when soldiers are poorly paid? The bottom line is, be a soldier!”
In his assessment of Parliament as a whole, he said there is not much to celebrate about the 9th Parliament.

“They make you think something is coming up and then it fizzles out, I heard about Chogm, but where is the action?” He describes the President as “a daddy who is too kind and soft” in dealing with corruption. But he quickly declines to elaborate claiming he has a family. “I have seen all Uganda’s 50 years, you never know what happens tomorrow, and I can be thrown in jail for a year. I have a family.”

Brig. Ggwanga is known for his no nonsense approach to life and advised the President not to cling on people accused of involvement in corruption. “Nakasongola Prison was not built for nothing, it is only a matter of time and they will be in jail. The President should leave the shacks. Yes they contributed but let’s move on, otherwise he is in trouble,” he says.

Tribalism
Citing tribalism as a historical cancer in Ugandan armies, he said it cannot be ruled out in the UPDF, “May be the President feels comfortable working with some people.”
He spoke of Idi Amin’s army as an example; Brig. Ggwanga said the army was mainly formed by West Nile residents but added that it was the most professional army outfit in the history of Uganda.

“We were proud to be soldiers; that was a real army! The welfare was very good and the officers’ mess was excellent.” In complete contrast with the President’s continuous praise of the UPDF being the most professional army Uganda has ever had, Brig. Ggwanga said Amin cannot be faulted over his army.

“I don’t know what the President’s appreciation of a professional army is. Amin’s army was a real professional army; I don’t care what you think of him,” he said.
With the advance of science and technology in the military world, he asserted, “We don’t need a big army but a small, lean and mean one with first class welfare.”

However, he sympathised with the current regime for failing to professionalise the army because of the endless wars it has had to fight, rendering its growth and development efforts fruitless.

He scoffed at those who speculate that Amin killed over 350,000 people saying the dictator’s image was tainted by the press in the West whose irresponsible reporting he could not get along with. “I don’t know where they get their figures from, we had no all-out war here, where were they buried and who counted them?” he asked, admitting that the State Research Bureau was brutal.

“People like [Henry] Kyemba. Those are people who danced to Amin’s orders, they advised him but because now they can talk, they say all these bad things about him, Amin was a smart guy, he only lacked education!”

On why President Museveni has faced stiff rebellions, he said: “He has annoyed many people, you can’t please everybody.” Adding that the two-decade-long Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) war in the North was silly, “I could not fight there. I am a professional soldier; I can’t fight people fighting over family issues.”

He took the opportunity to water down concerns surrounding the first son’s recent enrolment for military training in South Africa, “it is a waste of time! What he learns there he can’t apply here.”

He cited food insecurity as the greatest threat to the country where unemployment, coupled with lack of food can easily sway the youth into mischief and become politically dangerous.

Tarehe sita message
He urged soldiers to push on because there are no frustrations in the army. He defended the multimillion dollar purchase of fighter jets at a time when the nation’s economy is bleeding saying Uganda still has politically trying times ahead. “Egypt can become a problem any time over water and they are well equipped, we have to show them that we are also ready for anything.”

He attributed the public outcry over the jets to institutional weakness in army leadership, “if they had explained the validity of the idea to Parliament, the noise wouldn’t have been made.”

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His thoughts on some people

Amama Mbabazi. Why does he move with army escorts? These people don’t feel safe! Granted he is a VIP but does he know the army boys he is moving with?

Kizza Besigye, FDC President. I worked with him and I know him. He doesn’t do what he says.

Olara Otunnu, UPC leader. On his claims that the war in the north was a deliberate genocide; Otunu was in New York, a civilian can be fed on anything. Most of the boys who fought there were Bantu who were just amateurs!

Bidandi Sssali, PPP President. He is one Ugandan who can make a good president. He has seen it all though when you become old people think you are stupid.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, First son. How do you tell me that Muhoozi is becoming my president, if he comes up and proves his potential, no problem but you don’t jump from military uniform to State House.

Mugisha Muntu, FDC mobiliser. His time in the army was a wasted decade. He failed in the army even after Museveni gave him all the resources. He is too soft to be a president, he laughs with everybody.

Jennifer Musisi, KCCA ED. She is an amateur. [Erias] Lukwago doesn’t know what to do, if he knew he would make noise for Musisi to remove dust from my house which is just three kilometers from the city Centre.

Aronda Nyakairima, Army Commander. He has tried with welfare, he still has a lot to do.

Kale Kayihura, IGP. He is a good cadre, he has tried his best.

Jeje Odong. He is a nice guy but does not have the strike of a soldier.

Nobert Mao, DP President. I thought he is a great guy but I realised he is very stupid when he appeared on a radio show and called me an old cow.

Felix Kulayigye, Army spokesman. He is a nice guy; he says what he has been told to say. He doesn’t go to his bed room and get what to say.

Tamale Mirundi, State House spokesman. He speaks his mind, he is good! He is strong enough to tell Buganda where and when they become stupid.

Beti Kamya, Federal Alliance leader. She is a dreamer; you can’t talk of Federo in Uganda. Once I see your gist is stupid, I don’t bother reading your plans.