Tribute to Lt. Col Kashilingi: Gen. Museveni’s True Bush War Hero, Bulange Fire Suspect and a Prison-Break Star

Yet another one of President Yoweri Museveni’s bush war hero, Lt. Col. Ahmed Kashilingi has too, breathed his last. Kashilingi is known to have died today, Thursday November 3^rd after a long period of frustration and illness. He was formerly the father of the city’s renowned lawyer and advocate, Hussein Kashilingi.

But the National Resistance Army Officer Number RA0040, an original combatant, goes home a broken man. This position, following his painful capture by the same government of his master and Commander in Chief (CiC), Gen. Yoweri Museveni, whom he had helped to capture power.

Brass with death

Following his capture, Kashilingi was framed and subjected to a false and malicious prosecution as a rebel caught in the hills of Kasese fighting fellow bush war combatant, Gen Museveni. Kashilingi had survived possibly an assassination by suspected fellow combatants who had raided his home in Naguru following the end of the guerrilla war.

Muntu and the Amazing Escape

He would amazingly escape to his safety, leaving his trail assailants seething with anger after going out by the back door. The assailants had checked everywhere for him, including the ceiling of the house, when the Iraqi-trained commando beat them to their game and pulled off his escape.

He had dialed the day’s army commander, Gen Gregory Mugisha Muntu for help but who had told him, he wasn’t aware of what was going on. He dialed Muntu once again for help, but he appeared to have done nothing useful to intervene on his behalf, nevertheless. Save that the army commander would only express surprise that the assailants were out to harm Kashilingi.

The Amazing Prison Break

Before linking up with Museveni in the bush, Kashilingi had been arrested several times on allegations of being a rebel of the then NRA guerrilla chief. During one of such memorable arrests, Kashilingi ended up thrown into Luzira prison where, he would go on to suffer for several months.

He would later, finally pull off an amazing prison break of his own. This is how Kashilingi is thought to have gone about securing his own self-release. Using a kitchen knife, Kashilingi is noted to have poked a hole in the prison wall. Following which, it’s suspected, he would daringly go ahead to amazingly pull off the memorable prison break of his own.

Joins Museveni’s War

Following the security agents` harassment of him, and his malicious detention on the false account of being the rebel of Yoweri Museveni, Kashilingi would finally break free from his tormentors and linked up with the present day President, in the bush, to help fight the past governments. During his ambush escapades, the current President would be guarded by Kashilingi, notably, during a rebel operation against the government troops in Masindi, in 1984.

Bulange Arson

Upon the capture of power by President Museveni, the current seat of Buganda kingdom known as Bulange, and then known as Republic House, was burned. The same was under the occupation of the new rebels in town by the time, yet one of the mysterious fires since the current government touched base in Kampala, occured.

Fingers were quickly, accusingly pointed at Kashilingi. But given that there was no much enthusiasm that had been shown by the new rebels in town to pursue the culprits, the matter would end up stopping at being discussed in hushed tones and actually, ended up there.

Framed up, vainly appeals to Museveni

Before long, and after the rebellion had succeeded, Kashilingi was arrested over plotting to overthrow the President of Uganda. He had stayed in DRC for sometime after the foregoing attempt on his own life at his residence in Naguru. He had made several attempts to contact the President himself from his hideout in DRC,to table the serious threats to his life. But his enemies within the system, baying to subject him to terror, couldn’t let him succeed.

Divided loyalty

There had been an allegation of the terrible division within the new army structure based on who was, and was not, paying loyalty to the big guys in the military. The same majority of the army individuals were rendering loyalty to Salim Saleh whilst a few were paying allegiance to Elly Tumwine.

Kashilingi was so loyal to Salim Saleh. His son, advocate Hussein Kashilingi hazards a guess, that this is why perhaps, he paid for it with what was a so-close assassination of him and later framed up and incarcerated for years. Hussein guesses that because the President was too busy while putting in place the new government structures, he possibly failed to find time to rein in, on the divisions in the army based on loyalty to the bosses.

Chained non-stop in a hole

Following his capture and arraignment on treason charges, Kashilingi would be placed in chains for thirteen months non-stop while being kept under a hole. His lawyer son, Hussein says his father nearly lost sight in his eyes during such kind of inhuman and degrading detention

Museveni deceived prisoner was ok

And yet when the prisoner’s family complained to the President to intervene and release the father, Hussein notes, the big man was told by his tormentors that the man was very Ok and, just under house arrest. A magistrate would later, during the late 1990’s release Kashilingi after spending many years under the yoke of injustice.

Inspirational

What he went through, would inspire his son to pursue the course of law to fight acts of injustice in the country.While Hussein is an avid supporter of President Museveni, he states that he no longer understands what majority of actors within the NRM party stand for. Rest in peace elder Ahmed Kashilingi, and may God guide your fellow combatants to remember to guard jealously, the virtues you laid down your life down for.