Understanding NRA’s ideology is saving Sam Akaki’s life: A warning to Opposition Politicians
By Finch Atenyi
A common national identity - Ugandans - helps us to care about people with whom we are potentially unacquainted. Loyalty to a nation is fostered by a sort of ‘national mythology’, that is, by stories about the common history and destiny of the nation.
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On Monday 26th August 2019, Sam Akaki Ayumu a cousin to former president Apollo Milton Obote authored a commentary in New Vision. He asks: Why did Gen Muhwezi spare our lives? Did he act on his own accord, or was he implementing the NRA/M policy to close the bloody chapter on Uganda’s history, opening a new one, free of indiscriminate revenge?
In April 1979, the brutal, rapacious and murderous regime of Idi Amin was overthrown by a combined force of Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF) and various anti-Amin groups consisting of Ugandans in exile, who at a conference in Moshi (Moshi Conference) had united as the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). These included Kikosi Maalum (Special Force) commanded by Tito Okello and David Oyite Ojok – these were loyal to Obote as well as FRONASA (Front for National Salvation) commanded by Yoweri Museveni.
In elections held on 10th/11th December 1980 with voter turnout at 85.2%, Dr. Apollo Milton Obote and his UPC fraudulently won 75 of 126 seats. What followed was a brutal crackdown by pro-Obote UNLA elements on all opposition. Yoweri Museveni, leader of Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) – and former commander of FRONASA – had promised that he would launch a peoples’ war against UPC and UNLA if these elections were rigged.
“Having chosen our strategy, we launched the war against the Obote dictatorship on Feb 6th 1981 by attacking Kabamba School of Infantry at 8:30 am.” - Museveni. This event was the first the world heard of Peoples’ Revolutionary Army (PRA). From the onset, PRA -later NRA- was driven by a Nationalist and Pan African agenda. “Our line, therefore, rejects tribalism and is for maximizing the unity of our people as a ‘sin-qua-non’ for lifting themselves out of their miserable living conditions.”
By 1983, the PRA – now National Resistance Army (NRA) following a merger with Prof. Yusuf Lule’s Uganda Freedom Fighters’ (UFF) – had made significant strides. NRA (bandits as Obote called them) was now in control of the entire Luweero triangle. With defeat looming, Obote launched his biggest offensive against the ‘bandits’. 75% of UNLA strength was deployed in Luwero. With tact and resilience, this offensive was slowly defeated and many more continued to join NRA/M.
By 1984, the NRA numbered 10,000 combatants. Rigorous courses of political education (Nationalist and pan African ideology as well as the fundamentals of Democracy – ideology) within the army were maintained to counter indiscipline within its ranks. In a conversation with Commanders Otafiire and J.Mishambi, the rationale of this strategy was explained thus: There was a realization that as the army grew, we wanted not only numbers but discipline. Our new soldiers needed to know how we wanted the country to run. If we had taken Kampala without properly politicizing the soldiers, they would have behaved like our old soldiers. We wanted them to value property and the lives of the people.”
This then was the mindset that NRA commanders and soldiers brought to Kampala in 1986.
Akaki concludes: I owe the last 33 years of my life to Gen. Muhwezi. There must be thousands of other Ugandans out there, who also owe their life to this extraordinary General, who shuns publicity.
After an exhaustive rigorous all-inclusive process, Uganda in 1995 promulgated a new constitution that saw the transformation of NRA into Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF). In recent times, various attempts have been made by actors within the opposition to discredit both the achievements of our war combatants as well as ridicule the new breed of officers. This must be rejected.
Gen. Aronda Nyakairima (RIP): “Political education has given UPDF that mighty weapon which when brought on to the battlefield you cannot defeat. Other armies take weapons like helicopters, tanks, and engineering equipment as the most important force multipliers. Yes, they are force multipliers, but the UPDF’s biggest force multiplier is its political consciousness.”
Therefore, our ‘national mythology’ requires us to be loyal to Uganda and the UPDF. The monadic and often ignoramus attacks against UPDF and her war heroes by politically misguided opposition actors MUST be shunned. After all, there are ‘thousands of other Ugandans out there, who also owe their’ lives to these extraordinary soldiers.
The writer is a retired Teacher, Pan Africanist and a student of History.
