I’m Fred mwesigye a retired Colonel from the
mighty UPDF army which I participated in
founding.
I was born on 9th September 1950 in Nama
katazya kinoni nyabushozi county president
kiruhura district though it was Ankole district by
then.I was born to Mr Elinest katatondwa son of
Rubeho from Bahinda clan and Mrs Frida
kyacwaiteme of the Baranzi clan.
I was born in family of 3 being the first born
followed by 2 girls.
I started my primary school in 1959 from kazo
primary school briefly before my parents shifted
to Buganda current singo in kiboga district after
the government had declared Ankole the
ranching area and chased our parents to pave
way for the Ankole ranching scheme. I latter
joined kyanamugela primary school in kasanda,
having failed to catch up with the language
( Luganda) my parents had to bring me back to
kazo primary school up to my primary 4 class
and latter my mother took me to rujjumbura to
my grandfather’s home kezilone kabataraine one
of the tallest people in Uganda, I even remember
tourists used to come and see him. This is where
I joined kashenyi primary school where I used to
walk 15 Kms everyday to and from school and
then latter joined Rutoma Catholic school where I
completed my p7 in 1967 this was the time when
p 8 was removed and we did joint exams p 7 and
p 8 and I passed very well where after I joined
kigezi high school.
I started my secondary school from kigezi high
school in 1968 where latter on in 1970 I and my
colleagues ( Jim muhwezi, late Ben kagonyera
and late Steven Banya ) organised a strike
against the whites who were running the school
because they were mishandling us also.
We were expelled and I went to kinyasano where
I completed my S4 from.Due to my humble
background I had no chances of joining A’ level
so I applied in various institutions like kyambogo
and Shimon to do education but unfortunately…m
y name was red lined due to my revolutionary
background while in school as “a dangerous
character” it’s here I left school and got
employed in civil service as a clerk officer in
treasury department in ministry of finance before
joining nakawa college of commerce now mubs
to do a diploma in commerce.
I resumed to books after capturing power I did
the mature exams and enrolled at mubs with
bachelor’s degree in business administration BBA
and latter did master’s degree in peace and
conflict resolution fro makerere university.
I wanted to be a teacher but my revolutionary
background made me join the army. I’m a person
who can’t see things going wrong and I just sit
and watch so it motivated me to join the people
who were fighting the bad government of iddi
Amin.
Secondly, it was the bad political situation in the
country, everyone was living as a threat to each
other especially us who were suspected to be
having links to the rebel leader museveni and the
situation went on worsening after the killing of
Bishop janan luwum and other 5 ministers so I
wanted to give in a hand in bringing peace and
stability in my country
when the situation worsened we managed to
sneak out of the country. So some of us were in
Kenya and others in Tanzania discussing how to
bring peace to our country until when president
Amin attacked Tanzania which gave president
Nyerere ahuge opportunity to counterattack
because it was difficult for the country to attack
another country.
Due to the fact that we were fighting the same
war ( Amin ) ,we worked with Nyerere. All
Ugandans in exile moved to Tanzania .we formed
FRONSA and kikosi maroom of Tito okello lutwa
and oyite Ojok and other many factions. So
president Nyerere here helped us to acquire
training in munduli , gave us some artillery. we
launched a war against Amin and he was
overthrown.
We put up a government of different factions, it
failed to bring peace and unity. We organised
elections..they were rigged again, the army was
brutal again. The upc faction countermand over
other groups so we again went to the bush
where we formed People’s Resistance Army
(PRA) and latter joined by Yusuf lule group to
form National Resistance Army (NRA)
KABAMBA ATTACK
We left Rukikaire’s home where we had all
gathered at 6′ o’clock on 5th February 1986 in a
loryy to masaka nyendo- sembabule – ntutsi and
to kabamba. We waited in a place called makore
where Museveni joined us at 5am towards
morning.
We grouped our selves into sections. A section
to attack the Armoury, a section to attack the
quarter guard and other various targets we had
identified where my section ( I, late magara, late
Julius aine, late sucide katungyi, late Frank
kifuba late ndayondi and kagina) we were to
attack the Armoury. We survived here because
when General Elly tumwine fired the first bullet,
it alerted the man who was guarding the
Armoury and he positioned him self better before
us. He started firing at us. I remember Julius
kihanda got injured on that day however we
managed to capture some weapons, food
supplies, lorries, and many people joined us plus
the world being alerted that we have started a
revolution.
After kabamba we moved and crossed mubende
road to kyenjjojo to kakumiro kagadi kiboga and
entered the luwelo triangle where we again
divided our selves in different sections
In 1981, I was put in charge of Nkurumah section
which was in charge of the hoima road under the
commond of Elly tumwine and Fred rwigyema as
the overseer. My section was the one in charge
of recruiting, training and protecting. All the
recruits that were from Western Uganda passed
through my hands and latter as a senior officer
we went to open a front of rwenzori. I latter
became the 2nd in command of the 9th batallion
until we captured power.
My biggest challenge was to venture into the
unknown because we did not know whether we
shall die or not whether to capture power or
not…we had that mysterious in minds then
hunger and shortage of ammunition.
My worst moment was the attack of kabamba
where my section was to attack the Armoury and
I was almost shot and when the bomb almost
killed me
After capturing power, I was put in charge of the
re organisation. I was the first re-organisation
commander and my duty was to receive all
former forces that were fighting and those
groups include rescue front, UNRF, FUNA of
which some were in exile and some had joined
obote so it was my duty to receive, negotiate
with them and make them join us for the
betterment of our country and be welcomed in
the community.After I became the managing
director of NEC and latter retired from the army
and joined politics in 2006
