The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The family of the late Major General Ali Bamuze has made a passionate plea to president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni over unfulfilled pledges he made in 2015 following the death of their father. At the time of his death, Major General Ali Bamuze was working with Operation Wealth Creation-OWC.
He joined the UPDF following a peace agreement he signed with President Museveni on December 24th 2002, at Yumbe Boma grounds in his capacity as the Chief of Staff in Uganda National Liberation Front-UNRF 1 and UNRF 2, a rebel group that had set up base in Morobu and later Kajokeji in Yei River State in the Republic of South Sudan.
Among the key issues in the peace agreement between the UNRF 2 and Uganda government was an offer of 15 state scholarships to children of former UNRF 2 fighters, Shillings 19 Billion compensation to the former rebels and jobs including appointment to ministerial positions for some of the former rebels.
On October 7th 2015, Major General Ali Bamuze died in Kampala after a short illness and was given a state burial. During the funeral, President Museveni made several pledges to the family. Bamuze’s son Ali Abdu Adaku Bamuze says that six years down the road after the death of their father, the president is yet to fulfil the pledges he made at the burial of their late father, Bamuze on October 7th 2015 in Yumbe.
He says that life has become hard for them since the demise of their father and they want Museveni to come to their rescue.
Fadhil Lemeriga, a maternal grandson to the late Bamuze explained that the only pledge fulfilled was the UPDF registered Noah vehicle, which the family cannot use to raise money. According to Lemeriga, President Museveni should not only fulfil the pledges he made to the family of late Bamuze but also pay all that is due to the former UNRF 1 and 2 fighters as agreed in their Peace Accord.
Bamuze who died at 68 years of age married four wives; Hawa Ali, Mary Candiru, Faridha Monday and Jalia Nalubega, with whom he got 11 children.
Bamuze’s military life
Bamuze joined the military service in 1963 as a member of the Kings Africa Riffle after completing P.6 at Geya Muslim primary school in Yumbe and was assigned number UR0487.
After training in Jinja, they pioneered Moroto barracks where he went on to become an instructor in 1965 on the account of his hard work. He trained among others Gen. Moses Ali, who went on to become his boss in the Uganda National Rescue Front I.
During the Simba war of 1965 in Congo, Bamuze was promoted to Corporal and in 1966, he was promoted to sergeant. He was sent for field raft training at Jinja conducted by Israeli instructors. In 1971, he was promoted to lieutenant and sent to Israel for an officers’ course. Upon his return, Bamuze was transferred to Mbale and made a sports officer.
He rose to the rank of Captain in 1974 and was appointed deputy national sports officer to Captain Mohamed Seruwagi. Bamuze served in that capacity until the overthrow of Amin’s government in 1979. He fled to exile in Sudan and together with Gen Moses Ali started the Uganda National Rescue Front rebel group.
When Moses Ali signed an agreement with the National Resistance Army in 1986, Bamuze who was the chief of staff of the rebels refused to be part of the settlement and instead proceeded to start UNRF II. He later also denounced rebellion and joined the national army, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces where he served until his death.
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