26 NV Friday, October 9, 2020 @58 HOW KIBAZO FOUGHT TO

AMB. KINTU NYAGO

ad Abbas Kibazo lived beyond the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution, for whose framing he sacrifi ced his life, ironically, he would never have been allowed to Hbecome a Member of Parliament nor a member of the Cabinet. Obote For he had modest formal chatting education. Clearly, no fault of his, for with Kabaka he was a man of exceeding ability. Mutesa Colonial education was sectarian and discriminated against Muslims. Furthermore, universal education aimed at overthrowing despotic post- 1970. was not introduced, until 1996. colonialism. All three characterised him as having All three characterised him as By then, Kibazo had long been These were activities that were having been a highly perceptive executed for his role in the struggle indeed bound to result into his been an highly perceptive person, person, articulate, a skilled political for Uganda’s freedom, which we are incarceration or execution, as it mobiliser and a leader of men. celebrating today. emerged, eventually, by the state. articulate, a skilled political mobiliser Clearly, Kibazo related confi dently Kibazo teamed up with President Although Kibazo had modest with intellectuals. to fi ght the Idi formal education, he acquired ‹‹ Kibazo had a solid aristocratic Amin junta from the outset in 1971. rigorous informal education through and a leader of men. heritage, which helps to explain his He is a key visionary architect of his upbringing. And from the rich character. democratic Uganda. He uniquely experiences of his eventful life. My His great grandfather Kibazo, from had a knack for volunteering three key informants on his life were a serving Prime Minister. Uganda People’s Comgress (UPC)- whom he was named, had been without pay, to engage in hazardous Amb. Yunus Kinene, his cousin who The young Musoke, right after Buganda pressure group. the Katikkiro of Queen Mother political struggles. For, since early provided me with crucial information Uganda’s independence, in the While Rugunda benefi ted from Namasole Kanyange. Mother of the adulthood, he opted to consciously about their family tree. early 1960s, after graduating from Kibazo’s mobilisation skills and martial Kabaka Ssuna II. and consistently participate in what In addition to elder statesman the prestigious University of Delhi, support when campaigning to Katikkiro Kibazo was reputedly qualifi ed to be treasonable activities, Kintu Musoke and Dr Ruhakana India, teamed up with Kibazo to become president of the National handsome, which unfortunately Rugunda, one a former and the other partake in the activities of the Union of the Students of Uganda in contributed to his being executed by 27 UGANDA@58 Friday, October 9, 2020 NV

initiate the effort to oppose this military junta. Hence Kibazo become a founding member of Museveni’s- led Front for National Salvation 1971 (FRONASA). Amin’s defeat by Tanzania and the Uganda National Liberation Front O LIBERATE UGANDA Soon after Amin’s coup, (UNLF), resulted into Prof. Nabudere as the chairperson of the UNLF’s Museveni and Kibazo political and diplomatic committee, immediately left for appointing Kibazo as its overall Tanzania to initiate the political leader for Kampala. effort to oppose the The overthrow and dissolving of military junta. Hence the UNLF by its military commission, Kibazo became a founding led to Kibazo’s joining Museveni, member of Museveni’s-led Bidandi Ssali, Kategaya and others, to form the Uganda Patriotic Front for National Salvation Movement (UPM). (FRONASA). The intention being to instil a new non-sectarian and democratic ethos into Uganda. Mutesa’s strategic reorientation After the UPC rigged the 1980 meant that Obote had to kiss elections, its strongman Muwanga, goodbye any prospects for winning an old Kibazo acquaintance since the the 1967 national elections. This days of UPC-Buganda, visited him reality catalysed Obote’s 1966 at his Mutajazi-Kibuli home. For the abrogation of the country’s perceptive, Muwanga anticipated constitution and his attacking the that Kibazo would support Lubiri. Museveni’s armed struggle. The aim being to forestall Hence, he courted Kibazo to rejoin Bidandi Ssali Binaisa Muwanga democratic contestation for power, the UPC. And Muwanga could within the UPC and nationally. be persuasive and generous to a Ssuna II, a highly jealous man, over Kabalega’s placing a hefty bounty in Buganda. For without Sir Edward’s support, fault towards his political allies and his mother. Ssuna had suspected over his head, both were killed, This suited party president could not win. Hence the friends. that Katikkiro Kibazo had developed on separate occasions, in combat, Obote well as it eased pressure UPC government became a de facto However, during their tete-a- a love affair with his mother. defending their Kabaka, the state and from the competition of his position. military regime, from 1966 until tete, Kibazo politely declined the Katikkiro Kibazo had two sons the kingdom. For the UPC had actually been an Amin’s coup in 1971, when its veneer powerful vice-president’s olive — Tebukozza Kyambalango and A reality that impacted on the offshoot of the anti-colonial Uganda of civilian rule was rudely cast aside. branch. And in doing so, was fully Kibirango, who were Abbas Kibazo’s psych of their grandson, Abbas. National Congress, the mainstay of Kibazo, at this time, associated conscious that his acceptance would granfathers. Both were reputed Kibazo. Instilling into him, from whose members were in Buganda. closely with the Mbale-based Dani have resulted into instant lucrative military legends and administrators childhood, a sense of patriotism, Through this “Gentleman’s Nabudere and his disciples, such as political appointments and access in the court of Ssuna II’s successor, social justice, loyalty and chivalry. Agreement”, these could not partake Magode Ikuya. to comfortable trappings of state Kabaka Walugembe Mutesa. As noted above, Kibazo was a in this party’s Delegates Conference. Nabudere had established the patronage. These two had grown up with the founder member of UPC-Buganda, Hence, by design, they could not be anti-imperialist Uganda Vietnam To Kibazo, politics was for fulfi lling young prince Walugembe at the whose apex leadership included elected for UPC leadership positions. Solidarity Committee, a pressure one’s ideals and not about “eating”. court of his grandmother Kanyange. Ignatius Musaazi, Godfrey Binaisa UPC-Buganda’s stance was group aimed at opposing the United Kibazo, by standing by his This led to their rehabilitation, and . vindicated when in late 1965, Sir States invasion of Vietnam. principles, emulated his illustrious once he succeeded the throne and Bidandi Ssali, Kintu Musoke and Edward Mutesa II and the KY Kibazo was its active member, ancestors. Furthermore, he was among his favoured and close Kibazo were the key young turks of leadership, appreciated the futility which highlights his internationalist consciously opted for the perilous confi dants. this group. And its explicit objective of being hindered to participate credentials. For he opposed injustice, path of opposing the UPC regime. Tebukooza was promoted to was to oppose the provision in in broader national politics, based not just locally, but globally. This, he did by volunteering his become the Kimbugwe, the third the UPC-Kabaka Yekka (KY) on their earlier “Gentleman’s Concurrently, When Kibazo met support to the armed struggle, led by most powerful offi ce in the land, just “Gentleman’s Agreement”, that in Agreement”, with Obote, a reality Museveni, the two became close his friend and compatriot, Museveni. below that of the skilful Katikkiro effect ostracised the Buganda region Obote was using against them. comrades in arms. Soon, after A decision he paid for with his life, Mukasa. from national politics. Consequently, they dissolved KY and the Amin’s coup, in January 1971 for Uganda’s freedom that we enjoy. While Kibirango’s reputed military For it forbid establishing UPC persuaded its members to join the occurred, Museveni with Kibazo, A freedom that he spent his entire exploits led to Omukama Chwa branches and political activities UPC. immediately left for Tanzania, to adult life struggling for.