The Flashback: How Besigye Dodged Roadblocks Museveni Had Mounted on Bombo – Gulu Highway to Grab a Military Discharge Certificate from The Army

Twenty-six years ago, in 1999 to be exact, Dr Warren Kiiza Besigye, who was still, notably a serving military officer, unprecedentedly issued a missive, badly stinging his Commander-in-Chief (CiC), Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni! In the dossier, Besigye accused Museveni of derailing from the ideals that had forced them to daringly take up guns, turning tables on the military junta of the late Gen Tito Okello Lutwa, who had, in turn, previously upstaged the government of Dr. Apollo Milton Obote (Deceased).

Besigye’s scathing missive would leave Museveni mad with rage and spoiling for a fight with his former bush war physician. Museveni quickly directed Besigye to unconditionally withdraw the sharp contents of his missive. Defiant to the boot, Besigye flatly, shockingly and provocatively rejected to concede to any single order of his military boss, further exciting the fury of the Ssabalwanyi.

As Museveni insisted on dragging their kin to the court-martial, Besigye’s Bakiga kindred raised up in arms against the Big Man from Rwakitura, threatening to decamp from his ruling NRM party, potentially withdrawing their political support from him. They then turned to Besigye, passionately asking him to withdraw his statements and table an apology to his CiC.

Incredulously, Besigye told off his relations, daring Museveni to go ahead and court martial him if he so wished. More defiantly, Besigye asked Museveni to discharge him from the military altogether. Scared of antagonizing his support in Rukungiri, Besigye’s home base, Museveni coiled tail between his legs, abandoning his earlier threats of dragging his subordinate to the court martial, conceding to discharge him from the army.

Subsequently, the CiC contacted Bombo Military Headquarters, relaying his decision to discharge Besigye from the army. Sooner than later, Besigye dashed to Bombo, picking his discharge certificate. In between, Museveni’s intelligence informed him how by discharging Besigye from the army, would have handed him a license to compete against him for power.

Oh! the said disclosure would throw Museveni into much panic, forcing him to dial Bombo, directing them not to hand Besigye the discharge certificate. But as fate would have it, the afterthought move was a little too late. Unknown to Museveni, Besigye had already secured his discharge certificate.

Upon being told so, a panicky Museveni desperately resorted to the deployment of soldiers along Bombo-Gulu Highway with the view to accost Besigye and grab the discharge certificate from him. This too, was, a little too late. Besigye’s moles at Bombo had earlier on briefed him about the said machinations.

The Kasangati man had therefore used alternative panya roads (short cuts), emerging in Kampala! He subsequently announced his presidential bid. Museveni was left thoroughly outsmarted, stunned, confused and irate. From then on, Museveni learned from Besigye’s experience and has been taking time to discharge soldiers like Besigye from the military.

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Stephen Kasozi Muwambi: Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]