Gen Adrisi was decent despite serving under Amin - Museveni

President Museveni yesterday joined Parliament in paying tribute to a man who served in Amin’s government, Gen Adrisi Mustafa, whom he described as a decent man who never believed in killing innocent people.

Gen Adrisi died on Sunday morning at Mulago hospital where he was being treated for hypertension, diabetes and a fracture in his right leg. He was born in 1922.

To the lawmakers, Gen Adrisi was a peacemaker, a true patriot who served the country beyond self and encouraged other Ugandans to do the same.
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi moved the motion seconded by Gen Moses Ali and the acting Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ms Winnie Kizza, seeking to pay homage to the former vice president in the Amin military junta.

Speaking to journalists at Parliament yesterday after viewing the body that lay in State, President Museveni said he encouraged Gen Adrisi to return from exile in Yei, South Sudan.

‘Wrong line’
“He was a decent person although he was serving in the military government of Idi Amin. That is why they targeted him,” said Mr Museveni. “He was in exile because the UPC government had a wrong line of thinking that all who worked with Amin are wrong. Our line is the entire group cannot be wrong.”
Naming the countries that had a number of its people in exile that included Afghanstan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Sudan, President Museveni said: “All in all, he was a decent person although he was working with a bad group. He did not believe in killing people,” he said.

President Museveni has always been a critic of former president Idi Amin whom he accused of committing several crimes against humanity.

Mr Mbabazi like the President, said the deceased held firm against autocratic decisions by President Amin and saved very many Ugandans. “His appointment came at a time when acts of lawlessness and extrajudicial activities were rampant although they were not publicised. He swung into action and took decisions against the culprits,” said the premier.

Mr Mbabazi talked of Adrisi as a professional soldier who as Chief of Staff instilled discipline amongst soldiers and maintained the army’s hygiene and smartness.

Mr Mbabazi said government has decided to recognise all former army officers who served in the Amin and Obote governments. “They were not only soldiers in the Amin and Obote governments but they served the nation,” Mbabazi said.

Gen Moses Ali praised Gen Adrisi as a strict time keeper and an assertive politician who was a point of reference for Ugandans and for the people of West Nile. He commended the President for repairing Gen Adrisi’s house at Shs484 million, paying him a monthly salary of Shs4 million on top of his emoluments from the ministry of Public Service.

Ms Kizza said Adrisi was an instrument of peace in the Rwenzori region. “He advised the field marshal (Amin) to give Kasese and Bundibugyo a district status,” she said.

Mr Dennis Obua (Ajuri) said as a sports loving citizen, during his tenure, Uganda‘s national team participated in the Africa Cup of Nations where they emerged second after Ghana.

“Ever since that time, Uganda has never qualified for the Africa Cup and as former chairperson of Uganda Cranes Steering Committee of Africa Cup of Nations, him and the then President offered the presidential jet to pick the team from Accra, Ghana,” he said.

Ms Alice Alaso (Serere Woman) asked government to recognise the former VP beyond the Parliamentary motion. The body of the late was yesterday taken for prayers at Gadhaffi National Mosque in Old Kampala and airlifted to Arua for the overnight vigil. He will be laid to rest at Keri in Koboko District today.

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