Gen Museveni receives highest military honour

BUIKWE -President Museveni has received the Order Katonga, which is highest military decoration in Uganda.

The medal was presented to him on Thursday by Chief Justice Bart Katureebe during the national Heroes Day celebrations at Ssi Town Council, Ssi Sub-county, Buikwe District.

President Museveni’s younger brother,  Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho alias Salim Saleh  got the Kabalega Star, the second highest honour in the country.

Gen Museveni decorated Gen. Saleh.

A citation by Gen. Elly Tumwine, the chairman of the Decoration Board, said Gen. Museveni immensely contributed to the liberation of Uganda.

Gen. Tumwine traced Gen Museveni’s role to an event in December 1972 in Mbale District, some 260 kilometres East of Kampala.

Field Marshal Idi Amin was the President of Uganda, having captured power through a coup a year earlier, from Milton Obote.

Gen Museveni, who was not happy with the Amin regime, started meeting with like – minded persons in Uganda to brainstorm on how to liberate Uganda from Amin’s grip.

During one such meeting, in Maluku Housing Estate in Mbale, an estimated 15 Uganda Army Military Police, acting on intelligence information, surrounded the house in which Gen Museveni was meeting his comrades.

Fighting broke out, resulting in the death of two Uganda Army personnel and two of  Gen Museveni’s comrades Martin Mwesiga and H. Mpiima.

Gen Museveni, who reportedly had only a pistol, made a daring escape from the Uganda army soldiers.

“That escape of Yoweri Museveni in 1972…ensured his survival, thus enabling him later, to lead an attack on Kabamba Barracks in Mubende District,” Gen Tumwine said.

He said the attack on Kabamba Barracks marked the start of the National Resistance Army (NRA) bush war struggle.

Gen Tumwine said: “For Museveni to begin the struggle stands out as a unique attribute of leadership, service and sacrifice. This unique contribution to the struggle culminated in the liberation of our country on January 26, 1986 and forms the basis for this award.”

Gen Tumwine said it was Mr Museveni, who conceptualized and planned the execution of the liberation struggle against Amin.

He said Mr Museveni actively involved in military operations and accepted additional responsibilities and danger beyond the call of duty.

 Gen. Akandwahaho was recognised for his role in saving Mr Museveni from an ambush in Kireka in November 1980.

It is said that on November 15, 1980, while conducting room service at the Nile Mansions, now Serena Hotel in Kampala, a caterer at the hotel told Fred Rwigyema that they had overhead an army signaler saying ‘Yoweri Museveni Kireka Road’.

Courage and determination

Rwigyema (RIP), who was already an acquaintance of  Gen Saleh, looked for the latter and the two mobilised some guerrillas to head to Kireka roadblock to ensure Mr Museveni is not captured by the army.

“No reconnaissance had been done on the roadblock. The action saved Mr Museveni for the people’s struggle,” Gen. Saleh said.

Gen Tumwine said Gen Saleh exhibited courage and determination at that time.

“During the [liberation] struggle, Saleh commanded the mobile forces during the guerrilla war. He exhibited command, manoeuver towards the Uganda National Liberation Force soldiers and were a turning point in the struggle,” he said

A total of 650 medals will be given out to other people who contributed in the armed struggle.