MUBENDE: Mubende District in collaboration with the Central Government are organizing to celebrate Liberation Day, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Independence Day on January 26, 2025, at NTC Playground in Mubende Municipality.
However, despite their anticipation to celebrate 39 years in power, some residents who helped the National Resistance Army (NRA) during the war in Mubende District are not satisfied with the NRM Government led by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for not benefiting from the national “cake” yet they played a huge role in helping them succeed in their war course.
Hajji Ibrahim Bagalazimbye, 84, a resident of Nakawala Lc1 in Kasambya sub-county, Mubende District is amongst the few that helped President Museveni and his team to overthrow Milton Obote’s government.
Bagalazimbye narrates that his brother in law Mr Eris Muwanga (Molly Jackson) who was among NRA members led by Museveni passed by his home and told him that they were planning to attack Kabamba barracks which he didn’t believe at first.
“Molly Jackson Muwanga came to my Home with men in the car which I believed to be Museveni with his team and Molly told me that they were planning to attack Kabamba barracks. I thought they were drunk and took it as a joke. I asked them whether they cast their votes for the presidency, and Jackson told me that the votes had been rigged by the people in power. I hosted them at my home and they then proceeded and attacked Kabamba a military training barracks for the first time,” Hajji Bagalazimbye Ibrahim told Mubende Post.
Bagalazimbye states the community had witnessed vehicles around his home on Kabamba Barracks attack eve which ruined his life.
Mzee Ibrahim adds that his life turned ‘red’ when Obote’s men began tracing him alleging that Kabamba barracks attackers had their base at his home. He explained that he had to flee his home for nine months. Unfortunately, he was arrested on November 2, 1981, detained, and released on November 4, 1981, with wounds sustained during torture.
“We were sitting here at My home in the evening with other three people, a Range Rover came and asked me if I am Hajji Ibrahim, and I said yes. They arrested us and took us to the barracks. That’s When I realized that there were people who had reported that Museveni had spent a night at my home which wasn’t true.
“The man who arrested us asked for 200,000 Uganda shillings to release us but we did not have it. We told him we had 50,000 which he refused until my concubine came and asked him why that Muslim man was arrested yet he could not deal with these terror men, He paid the money and we were released,” Bagalazimbye narrated to Mubende Post.
But what Mzee Ibrahim will never forget during the time of his detention was the brutal torture, and stabbing, that besides the suffering in prison even when they traveled to other areas they were called rebels.
“What we found at the quarter guard was very bad they tortured us, I was wearing a white “kanzu” I felt warm in my neck touching myself I realized that it was blood, they cut me with a sharp object I didn’t know,” Mzee Ibrahim told Mubende Post.
He adds that his business was also ruined after the incident.
“We used to move to Ssembabule and Bunyoro areas because we were business people but I will never forget the day they beat my son accusing us of being rebels from Buwekula and they could do so every time they see us,” Mzee Ibrahim painfully revealed to Mubende Post.
Mzee Ibrahim says what hurts him most at the moment is that he was one of those who sacrificed for this country but he has only earned suffering for life.
Mzee Ibrahim expressed his anger at the security forces who surround President Museveni these days and prevent the fighters from saying anything to him, saying they have just seen him and they are being paid unlike them during the war.
“After they released me I joined Museveni and I used to take medicine to them in the bush that I was getting from the barracks along with ammunition and guns. I put two SMG riffles in the fight because I had it, I was chosen to bring guns back from the people who had remained with them after the Fall of Idd Amin.
“But now you can’t even say anything to Museveni yet we have the issues that hurt us, why don’t they let us talk about it, they want to say they are protecting him more than us who protected him in the bush without even getting paid,” Angry Mzee expressed his unsatisfaction in an exclusive interview with Mubende Post.
LIBERATION DAY: Story of 84 Year Old Man, Who Hid Museveni on Kabamba Barracks Attack Eve
— Mubende Post (@MubendePost) January 18, 2025
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Mzee Ibrahim revealed that he has several times written to the President asking to meet him for help but he has failed to get any response from him or his office.
Mzee Ibrahim now wants the President to visit Kasambya during his visit to Mubende on the day of liberation so that they can tell him their difficulties.
