Maj. Gen. Muhoozi one rank away

Irked by Tinyefuza’s letter, Brig. Steven Kashaka, a celebrated bush war hero, who joined the revolution in the days of FRONASA, shot back.

“During the bush war, in 1981while I was commanding Lutta Unit and you commanding Kabalega Unit,” Kashaka wrote, “you were parachuted to the rank of Member of High Command equivalent to Brigadier while some of us …who had done a one year O/CDT course at Monduli, commissioned as LTs and also commanded UNLA Units were made Senior Officers equivalent of Major and none of us complained or deserted… So, talking about rapid promotions and parachutes, you were the first beneficially and it could not stop with you.”

Other prominent officers like Colonel Fred Mwesigye, MP Nyabushozi County, Colonel Ahmed Kashillingi, Colonel Julius Kihandae have also remained languishing in lower ranks as young cadres zoom past them. Ironically, these are among the original 27 officers.

Indeed, the real controversy over promotions, traced to the bush days, reached fever pitch when formal ranks were introduced in 1988.

The ranks, which left many officials rattled, were arrived at following the sitting of a committee that included Salim Saleh, the late Fred Rwigyema and Gen. Elly Tumwine.

While Museveni became Lt. General, Elly Tumwine, Saleh and Rwigyema became major generals. David Tinyefuza, the late Tadeo Kanyankole and Matayo Kyaligonza became brigadiers and Jerome Mugume, Julius Chihandae, and Pecos Kutesa became colonels.

Matayo Kyaligonza, who is still the only member of the High Command at the rank of Brigadier, could not hide his disappointment.

He could not understand why he did not have the same rank as Saleh and Tumwine. At some point Kyaligonza was even stripped of the brigadier rank before it was later reinstated.

Jim Muhwezi, who was made a lieutenant colonel  also declined to wear the uniform arguing that he should have received the same rank as Tinyefuza, who he had the same law qualifications, had trained together in the police, and joined the NRA war the same day.

Muhwezi would later put on the uniform when he became a brigadier and Mwebaze when he became a Major.

Even in the bush, Muhwezi had issues with the fact that Museveni had made Tinyefuza, a member of the High Command and left him out.

But the most fire has tended to erupt around the Muhoozi subject.

That is why while addressing the High Command again in 2012, Museveni had to cite international examples where such rapid promotion of officers has taken place.

As if to justify Muhoozi’s meteoric rise, President Museveni, told his commanders that Mac Arthur became a brigadier general at the age of 28 in 1918.

“I cannot end this speech without talking about the issue of Muhoozi (Brig. Muhoozi Kainerugaba) since our enemies have made it a daily issue in the papers and the subversive activities of some individuals constipated with ambition and deceit,” Museveni said as he concluded his speech.

Then he embarked on showing how central Muhoozi had been in the UPDF.

Muhoozi, by the virtue of his post as the Commander of Special Forces, one of the four services or arms of the UPDF is a member of the High Command.

“I am most pleased that Muhoozi has turned out to be a very serious officer, quiet and devoted to the building of the army,” Museveni told his commanders, “He has already helped us to build a Commando Force and Paratrooper Force which some of the earlier actors had either failed or refused to build.”

Museveni noted how the Commando Force built by his son gave the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) a decisive defeat in Semliki in 2007 and in Mogadishu, they killed a total of 192 enemies for the loss of none of their own.

“To vilify, demonise, castigate, harangue in a demented way against such an officer is sickness in a metaphorical sense,” Museveni said, “If you have no objectivity to see value, then your leadership qualities are in question. Even if Muhoozi was a mediocre performer, it would be the duty of the army to defend its members as long as he has done no wrong or mistake.”