This is my last wish- Museveni’s bush war escort  begs for promotion before retirement

Col. Charles Barija, one of President Museveni’s escorts during the 1986 bush war on Thursday asked for promotion  to the  next rank of brigadier in the UPDF for him  to have a befitting retirement.

Barija was one of the 618 senior and junior officers including 14 generals who on Thursday retired from the active service of the UPDF.

Speaking during his retirement ceremony at   the Land Forces headquarters in Bombo, Col.Barija said it would be befitting if the president, who is also the commander in chief used his powers to promote him to the next rank before he retires.

Quoting the story of Mordecai in the book of Esther chapter 2.21 in the Bible, Barija said it is his last wish in the army.

“Mordecai also rescued king Hausauro from Haman but was forgotten for a long time but at the end, after so many years, the king himself remembered him and Mordecai got rewarded,”Barija said on Thursday.

“I kindly request my beloved president whom I have been loyal to, to remember me and reward me with a rank of brigadier general so that I don’t use boda bodas while going home and I promise to keep discipline.”

However, Barija’s request came in late as he had already been included on the list of those to retire.

Joining the army

Barija recounted  joining the in 1979 from Kakoba in Mbarara and trained at the Kabamba school of infantry  and was promoted to the rank of Corporal , having emerged as the best trainee from field craft.

“After, I was posted in Kampala, in D coy under the command of Lt Col Bazilio Olal Okello and my first mission was to escort our beloved  mzee, his excellency Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni , trhe then vice chairman of the Military Commission which I performed well.

Rescuing Museveni at roadblock

Barija said his first operation was rescuing President Museveni at a roadblock  in Kireka.

On Saturday, October 11, 1980, Museveni was arrested at a military roadblock at Kireka on Jinja highway about two miles from Kampala.

The soldiers forced him, his wife Janet Museveni  and their son Muhoozi Kainerugaba to sit on the ground by the roadside for a number of hours.

“In my first operation, I rescued His excellency Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, his wife Maama Janet and First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba under the command of Lt David Rubereza and 2ndLt Salim Saleh by then,” Col Barija recounted.

He however noted that  of the people who rescued Museveni and his family, only three including Gen Saleh, Brig Mwesigwa Bitanuzire and himself .

According Barija after the contentious 1981 elections, he joined Museveni to start the 1986 liberation war.

Advice

Speaking at the retirement ceremony, Col.Barija urged UPDF soldiers to maintain love and respect to one another, a foundation that he said was started in 1981.

“Please don’t forget the people who started UPDF family and respect them because they did a great job that you are enjoying now,” he urged.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2021/08/06/yours-is-the-true-story-of-the-mustard-seed-says-museveni-as-he-retires-updf-generals-historicals/