This week former Prime Minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi dropped the bombshell: ‘I am going to contest for presidency come 2016’.In what is deemed a ‘big’ fallout with his former close ally Yoweri Museveni, JPAM, as he is referred to, said his aim was to cause change in the country and he outlined his ‘eight-point programme’.
But Mbabazi is just one of the former bush war colleagues to fall out with the system and below Eagle online brings you some of pillars of the regime now opposed to it.
Col. Amanya Mushega
Hails from the greater Bushenyi and was instrumental in building the Movement system that later turned into NRM. He did mobilize for the system and the party in an area which was predominantly an opposition stronghold. Bushenyi used to be a stronghold of Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC). He first served as Assistant Minister for Defence soon after National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) captured power in 1986. Subsequently he was appointed Minister for Public Service and then Education. He was later posted to Arusha, Tanzania, serving as the second Secretary General of the revived East African Community (EAC) but upon his return, he joined opposition Forum for Democratic Change where he was elected Deputy President in charge of Western Region.
Maj.John Kazoora
He comes from Kashari County, Mbarara district. He represented Kashari County in the 6th and 7th Parliament and was vocal, a thing that led him to clash with President Museveni. He was among the Members of Parliament that started a pressure group called Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO) that united with Reform Agenda to give birth to FDC. After the capture of power in 1986, Kazoora was posted as Special District Administrator (District Commissioner) for Kampala.He later joined the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) as Director of Finance
Maj. Gen. Mugusha Muntu
He hails from Ntungamo district and his father was a closed comrade of late President Apollo Milton Obote. However, Muntu rejected all the pleas not join the bush war but opted to fight a regime that was friendly to his family. After capture of power, Muntu went on to serve as Director of the Directorate of Military of Intelligence (DMI) with Paul Kagame as his deputy. While at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Muntu was seconded for a military course in Russia and upon his return, he was promoted to Colonel and posted to Gulu as 4th Division Commander. And, skipping the rank of Brigadier, he was promoted to Major General and made the Army Commander, the equivalent of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) today. He retired from the army and joined politics as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly. He joined FDC after the merger of PAFO and Reform Agenda. He is the current party president of FDC and should his party field him as a flag bearer, he will likely face his former Commander-in-Chief in 2016 general elections.
Sarah Kiyingi
She comes from Rakai district which she represented in the 6th and 7th Parliament. She was named Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity. When a Parliament committee on legal affairs which was chaired by the then Omoro County and then Uganda Peoples’ Congress, cadre, Jacob Oulanyah cleared the amendment of the Constitution to lift term limits she opposed and even opposed the Kyakwanzi resolution and she was sacked.
Miria Matembe
She hails from Kashari and she twice served as Mbarara District Woman Member of Parliament and served as a Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity. Like Kiyingi, Matembe opposed the amendment of the Constitution to lift term limits and she was sacked. She remains vocal on topical issues although she hasn’t joined mainstream opposition politics.
Augustine Ruzindana
He was the first Inspector General of Government (IGG) and is credited with creation of infrastructure of the current inspectorate. He hails from Ntungamo district has he represented Ruhama County in both 6th and 7th Parliament. He was vocal against the regime and coming from a predominantly NRM area, he was subsequently challenged by the First Lady, Janet Museveni who defeated him. He is currently the Secretary for Strategy and Research in the FDC.
Dr .Kizza Besigye
In political terms, one of the victims of this government is probably Dr. Kizza Besigye. But at the same time, the man from Rukungiri was one of the very few confidants of the regime in its early stages. He was a Physician during the armed struggle in the bush. After capturing power, he continued as a personal Physician to the President, while also serving as a junior Minister for Internal Affairs. He later went to head the Mechanized Brigade Commander in Masaka before he bounced back as the National Political Commissar at the defunct Movement Secretariat.
In 1999, he wrote an internal document critiquing how the system was working and how the NRM had diverted from its 10- point programme. He was threatened, intimidated with Court Martial but stood his ground. In 2000, on the day he received his certificate of discharge from the army, he announced his candidature to challenge Mr Museveni and he has challenged him thrice, to remain the country’s most formidable opposition politician
Winnie Byanyima
She is the current Executive Director of Oxfam International and wife to Dr. Besigye. Ms Byanyima hails from the powerful political family of Mzee Boniface Byanyima, and she was once Uganda’s representative to UNESCO in France. She returned and became Secretary for Information at the then Movement Secretariat and later on Member of Parliament for Mbarara Municipality. She fell out with the regime but was still seconded by Government to the Africa Union as Director for Gender Affairs.
Jaberi Bidandi Ssali
He was the long serving Minister of Local Government and was instrumental in preaching the National Resistance Movement (NRM) gospel in Buganda. He started with Museveni as Secretary General of Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM), a party for which Museveni was flag bearer in the 1980 presidential election. Bidandi Ssali fell out with Museveni over the amendment of the 1995 Constitution. He was subsequently sacked and then started his party, the Peoples’ Progressive Party. He stood for President in 2011 and lost.
James Wapakhabul
Wapa as he was fondly referred to by his colleagues, parted ways with Museveni when he too opposed the amendment of the constitution. He wrote a document criticizing the process and was neglected. He was represented Mbale Municipality and was a member of the external wing of the struggle.
Prof. Gilbert Bukenya
He was the longest serving Vice President under Museveni and served in many other cabinet portfolios before becoming VP. He was dropped as VP in 2011 and. He is now opposed to the status quo
Prof. George Kanyeihamba (SC)
He served as minister in the first days of the regime before becoming a judge in the judiciary. He now totally opposed to his former boss
Gen. David Sejusa
He authored a letter to Director General of Internal Security Organisation (ISO) inquiring about the “Muhoozi” project. He fled the country and has been in exile until last year. He is opposed to the regime and is too critical of its undertakings.
David Pulkol
He was a minister in early days of the Museveni establishment; he became Director General of External Security Organisation. It is alleged that he disagreed with his boss and joined FDC before crossing to UPC. However, his membership to opposition is highly doubtable by his colleagues.
Others are
Brigadier Henry Tumukunde
Wasswa Ziritwawula
Eriya Kategaya
Col. Fred Bogere
Mathew Rukikaire
Tom Butime
Maj. Gen. Benon Biraaro
Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu
