While almost the entire NRA was away on a
mission to attack Masindi, rebel leader Yoweri
Museveni was attacked by the UNLA
commanded by the feared Lt. Col. John Ogole.
With only 70 fighters, Ahmed Kashilingi mounted
a formidable resistance that enabled the rebel
leader to escape.
Col. Ahmed Kashilingi, RO 040, joined the NRA
bush-war in 1981. In his book Sowing the
Mustard Seed, Museveni says Kyaligonza
commanded Mwanga, one of the six zonal units
NRA formed about six months into its five-year
guerrilla war. Kashilingi joined Kyaligonza’s zonal group around April 1981. The main task of this group was to divert the attention of the government soldiers from the main NRA group of about 50, including Yoweri Museveni, which had moved towards Kiboga after the futile attack on Kabamba barracks in February 1981.
Kyaligonza and Kashilingi, according to veterans who worked under them, had only two guns at the start, an SMG and a pistol. Theirs was mainly urban terrorism. These are the commanders who, using commando tactics, raided Kisoga Police post which they hit with stones and managed to take off with its rifles.
Kashilingi, who joined the army in the late 1960s,
is reported to have received commando training
in Iraq during Idi Amin’s rule. These skills came in handy for the NRA, especially in raiding Police posts. The Kyaligonza/Kashilingi group also used to grab Police uniforms which they would later use in their jungle and urban operations.
Towards the end of 1981, the UNLA hit Kyaligonza’s group hard and threw it in disarray.
Kyaligonza reportedly took off to Kasangati.
Kashilingi, who took a different direction,gathered some of the fighters and headed towards the main force in Matuga. This was shortly before Museveni returned from Kenya and Europe where he had gone in June 1981.
Kashilingi’s first known major operation happened around 1982. Veterans tell us that the
Chairman High Command (CHC), Yoweri Museveni, sent him on a mission to look for medicine and medical personnel shortly after his
return from London. Kashilingi then commanded fighters who raided Nakaseke Hospital. At this
time he had been separated from Kyaligonza who took command of the Black Bombers and operated in the areas of Matuga. Kashilingi
operated in the areas of Makulubita, Katiti,Kalasa and Bombo.
In the forest of one Maama Nsobya at a place called Kanyanda is where Museveni dispatched
Kashilingi to go and raid Nakaseke. The operation was successful and Kashilingi got
medicine and abducted most of the medical personnel of the hospital, including the Medical
Superintendant, Dr. Ronald Bata. Ondoga Ori Amaza, who was also working at Nakaseke, was
captured during this raid. Because the nurses could not walk for a long distance, Kashilingi got
another captive, Kizito Kyamufumba,to drive them in a lorry with their medicines. Kashilingi reported his loot to Museveni at the guerrillas’
headquarters.
When the NRA opened the Western Axis in 1985,Kashilingi remained in Luwero Triangle with themain force under Salim Saleh. At this time Museveni had again traveled abroad where he spent six months.
The 5th battalion which Kashaka and Kashilingi commanded was part of the force that raided Mubende. From Mubende, they captured Mityana
and moved through Mpigi towards Masaka.They moved through Kalungu, Kifampa, Kituntu and
Nkozi. At around Kayabwe on Masaka Road, the 5th battalion got orders to block Katonga Bridge.
The intention was to stop the UNLA soldiers from re-enforcing the besieged Masaka and
Mbarara barracks. It is at Katonga that Kashaka left his 5th battalion and went to Nyabushozi.
Col. Kashilingi took over the command until the capture of Kampala.
Katonga is described by the NRA veterans as the fiercest of all battles. Kashilingi lost 14 fighters
and two of his field commanders around Kayabwe area. Another 16 fighters were injured.
Almost a whole platoon (35 soldiers) under Kashilingi was wiped out by UNLA soldiers using
an anti aircraft gun. Soldiers who fought alongside Kashilingi say that they were saved by the re-enforcement of 180 fighters who had just been trained by Tadeo Kanyankore in Ibanda. It
was only then that Kashilingi managed to overpower the UNLA.
When the Obote soldiers (UNLA) were defeated at Katonga, they ran up to around Nabusanke. At
this time, General Tito Okello Lutwa had successfully staged a coup and declared himself
head of state.
Lutwa called for peace talks, which in effect slowed down the advance of the rebels.
The UNLA under Lutwa established their base at
a place called Kwaba on Kampala-Masaka Road.
Kashilingi’s forces camped on Kamengo Hill,
overlooking the UNLA. When the peace talks
collapsed, the Kashilingi battalion and that of
Pecos Kuteesa were ordered to attack. They
chased government troops almost up to Kampala
suburbs.
When the rest of the battalions pounced on Kampala, Kashilingi was ordered to take Entebbe
Road and capture the airport.It is reported that Lutwa had reached some understanding with
Moses Ali to airlift hundreds of his soldiers from his bases in West-Nile to Entebbe to help Lutwa.
They were reportedly being airdropped at Entebbe as Kashilingi and his troops advanced
towards the airport. In his book, Kuteesa writes that Kashilingi’s forces got encircled and needed
re-enforcement.
Kashilingi, it is reported, wanted to hit the planes that were dropping Moses Ali’s fighters at
Entebbe but he was restrained by Museveni.
Eventually, these fighters from West Nile—about
1,000 of them, surrendered and Entebbe fell to
the rebels.
