President Museveni has hailed deceased former Security Minister, Gen Elly Tumwine as a man of many things but above all, one whom God used to do many things that have led to fruits for the country.
Speaking during the funeral service at Kololo independence grounds, Museveni recalled how they started the 1986 NRA bush war in which Tumwine fired the first bullet that sparked off the five year war.
“We had internal collaborators within the barracks. Our plan was to get to the quarter guard and deceive the gateman. Because Tumwine was an officer, he sat in the front and was to deceive the gateman that we had brought supplies from the general headquarters,” Museveni told mourners.
He said he himself chose to move behind the lorry which was covered and full of his men. Museveni said because of his common face, having been a minister but also the vice chairman for the military commission, sitting infront would have given them up.
“Tumwine was to deceive that we had brought supplies and the small car driven by Magara would drive past and enter the underground armoury which was 400 metres away from the quarter guard. What we wanted were guns. When the lorry stopped, I heard Sam Magara passing and then I heard a shot. Tumwine fired the first bullet by mistake. He shouldn’t have fired.”
According to Museveni, Tumwine has been asked to only wrestle the gateman but not fire any bullet since this would alert other soldiers in the barracks.
“When Tumwine fired, there was a Tanzanian corporal near the armory who heard the shot and saw Magara vehicle driving. He shouldn’t have fired but wrestle the man. Because of this, we couldn’t get the big guns. “
Museveni noted his colleagues took a swipe at Tumwine for not following their plan not to fire but rather wrestle the gateman at Kabamba barracks in the foiled attack.
God used Tumwine
Museveni however said foiling the plan was a blessing in disguise that God had used Tumwine to ensure that the unprepared NRA didn’t get the guns but some vehicles .
He told mourners that after the attack, Obote’s soldiers later followed the NRM rebels and in a fight in Kiboga, they were forced to drop the guns they had, prompting them to plan other attacks.
“Actually it was God who did this. God used Tumwine to fire by mistake and it was God’s plan.On 9th(a day later), the Tanzanians attacked us. God used Tumwine to spoil the plan and they later attacked us.”
According to the leader of the NRA, a few months later, through Tumwine, the rebels were able to get linked to Kaka Bagyenda( former ISO chief) to plan an attack on Masindi barracks.
He explained that Tumwine who had earlier worked at Masindi linked the rebels to Kaka who through a grass cutter would give them information required about the barracks and later was attacked and several guns captured.
“Masindi was big success and had 760 guns from there. This was Tumwine’s work.”
According to Museveni, following the failed attempt to attack Kabamba barracks in 1981, four years later, a big attack happened at the same barracks which saw the NRA rebels capture many guns.
Gen. Tumwine succumbed to lung cancer at the Agha Khan Hospital, Nairobi according to an announcement to the country by President Yoweri Museveni.
In Parliament, Tumwine served longest, representing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for 35 years until May 2021 when he was dropped from Cabinet as Security Minister. He was a member of the National Resistance Council (NRC), the Constituent Assembly and all the parliaments from the sixth to the 10th.
His body has this evening been transported to his ancestral home in Mukuru, Rwemikoma Sub County, Kazo district where he will be buried on Tuesday 30th August 29, 2022.
