Museveni fulfils wish of NRA comrade, family, with Lt. Peter Mugasha medal

Monday, February 6, 2023 will always be a special day in our family history because that was the day the efforts of our late father Lt. Peter Mugasha (RO1700) were nationally acknowledged. 

Lt. Mugasha was one of the 28 patriots who risked their lives by joining Lt. General (rtd) Yoweri Museveni in the dream of liberating Uganda in the 1970s by joining the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA). FRONASA was dedicated to overthrowing the bad governance of then President Idi Amin and restoring rule of law in the country.  

During this year’s 42nd Tarehe Sita celebrations at Kakyeeka stadium in Mbarara city, Lt Mugasha was recognised by his former commander Museveni with a Luwero Triangle Medal for his heroism . 

Our family had been waiting for this moment since the year 2000 when our father Lt. Mugasha passed away. All we had for years were stories from our mother Editor Mugasha who, whenever, she wanted to regale us with an anecdote about him would begin, “Manya imwe timukumanya Mugasha” loosely translated, “You did not know Mugasha, let me tell you about him…” 

She would tell us stories of how brave Lt Mugasha was, how he had fought alongside heroes like General Salim Saleh, General Ivan Koreta and of course their leader, President Museveni, fearlessly risking his life. 

Our mother did not just want us to hear stories of her brave and handsome husband only from her, she would go a step further and look for colleagues who had served with him to share their memories of Lt Mugasha with his children that she was raising; Daphine Mugasha, Anita Mugasha and I. Several times, I listened enraptured, as General Koreta shared his reminiscences of his time with our father. 

Editor Mugasha raised us as a single mother, doing all that was possible in her power, to ensure we had all we needed but never letting us forget him. She put us through army primary and secondary schools, not just because that was all she could afford, but also because she wanted us to appreciate the army which Lt Mugasha had dedicated his life to. 

She always said that if Lt. Mugasha had lived beyond 2000, she was sure would be one of the top generals in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) because nearly all his “class” had risen to generals. 

To our mother’s dying day in August 2019, her one wish was to meet President Museveni face to face and introduce him to Lt. Mugasha’s offspring herself. This wish never came true. Although I had met the president as a journalist with Next Media Services, I had never met him as Lt Mugasha’s son. On February 6, 2023, it happened. 

I was invited to sit in the tent for medallists and their representatives to be honoured by the country and President Museveni in Mbarara. When the UPDF Chief of Personnel Maj. Gen George Igumba read our father’s name, I practically marched up in a dream to receive his medal and a photo opportunity with President Museveni. 

I was not expecting President Museveni to recall seeing him before but he did with a question, “And whom are you representing?” I replied, “Peter Mugasha.” 

I wished our mother was there to witness how excited President Museveni was when he heard our father’s name, “Oh, Peter Mugasha! You are his son!” 

I thought it would be a one off but during his speech, President Museveni went down memory lane, recalling how FRONASA came to be, “I recruited some from Kenya and Tanzania like Saleh, Mwanjisi, Peter Mugasha, there was another boy called Sabena I don’t know what happened to Sabena, what happened to Sabena?” 

Although we had always heard from our mother, relatives and friends of the family about our father’s  glorious military service, hearing it from a man he considered his hero was so gratifying and humbling and yet made it real in a way I cannot put into words. 

Listening to interesting stories of how great my dad was had always given me huge hope that someday I would be a great man like he had been. 

Daddy was born in 1957 and at the age of 19 he joined the FRONASA in 1976 from Tanzania after being recruited by the then leader of the group Gen Yoweri Museveni. He had escaped from home and returned in 1979 at a rank of a second lieutenant (one star) after overthrowing Iddi Amin. He died in June 2000 from Mbuya Military Hospital at a rank of lieutenant though information indicates he had been promoted to captain (three stars)

In our village of Kihunda Kantojo Kyeizooba Igara, Rwentuuha town council, Bushenyi district, people including his childhood friends and relatives shared stories of how in his short life had changed the lives of many in our village.

On February 6, 2023, we got a chance to celebrate his remarkable life afresh and acknowledgement his sacrifice had not been in vain.