Mugisha Muntu
Do you know General Mugisha Muntu? Well, he is the guy who now should be famous for the words, the ‘change you can trust‘! Seriously, Muntu’s campaigns or, better put, Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), the party he officially founded on 19th March 2019, rides on this one selling point: value driven organization with capable and trustworthy leaders delivering a change you can trust! (see more on ANT website).
The party’s core message is summarized in these words: ‘The Alliance is a people-centred, value-based party that believes in the institutionalisation of political processes as a key to unlocking democracy in Uganda. Because you cannot give what you do not have, we are committed to not only talking about our beliefs, but practicing them internally‘ (see here at ANT website). These guys seem to have sold that message well; anyone who knows ANT or Muntu generally knows their stand; peaceful, calm, organized guys with character ready to ‘systematically’ take over the leadership of Uganda!
Wait! The above is just a description of who they are, isn’t it? Well, the better question is, are they? Is General Muntu, the party’s flagbearer running for presidency, a man whose ‘change you can trust’? We aren’t the first one to ask the question. Many have asked the same question, and, every time it is asked, Muntu’s reply is one: ‘Yes, examine our track record‘. I think he is right! We aren’t gods, I mean, we aren’t God, and, therefore, we cannot see the future, right? However, a careful analysis of the past can give us a glimpse into Mugisha Muntu’s faithfulness and discipline. So, let us get started.
Mugisha’s birth and growth
Gregory Mugisha Muntu was born on 7th October 1958 at Kitunga village in present-day Ntungamo District, Ankole sub-region, Western Uganda, to Enock Ruzima Muntuyera and Aida Matama Muntuyera. Apparently, Muntu must have had a fairly good childhood life since his staunch UPC supporter father, Muntuyera, was a government functionary and a close person to Milton Obote, the twice Ugandan president (1966-1971 and 1980-1985).
Muntuyera was a minister in Ankole Kingdom and a strong supporter of UPC. In a 2005 account by Muhanga and Baguma, it is said that Muntuyera had plans to run for MP seat on UPC ticket in the aborted 1971 General Elections, plans that were thwarted by Idi Amin’s coup of January 25th 1971, seeing the ‘Mzee with plans’ die in exile in a Nairobi Hospital, Kenya, 1977. When Obote came back in 1980, the remains of his comrade were brought back and buried in his home, Kajara, and a school (Kitunga High School) renamed after the UPC diehard!
Muntu’s mother, was born in 1933, married Muntuyera in 1953 and together had four children, Jennifer Muntuyera (passed on), Flavia Kobusigye, Mugisha Muntu, and the elder brother, Herbert Nuwagaba. The mother succumbed to Pneumonia, died on 9th February 2010, and was gracefully laid to rest in Kitunga, Kajara, Ntungamo on 13th February 2010. Flavia Kobusignye is married to Engole of Apac. My efforts to know what ‘Engole of Apac’ is all about were futile! Herbert Nuwagaba Muntuyera was once an MP in 2005, and is a strong supporter of NRM.
Going back to Muntu’s supposedly good early childhood life, it didn’t hinder any humility traits in the young Muntu. According to the 2005 account, to humble her children, Muntu’s mother, Matama Muntuyera, refused them (children) to wear shoes while attending Kitunga Primary School, the village school they attended following their father’s resignation of ministerial position in Ankole Kingdom, and thus their residential transfer from Mbarara town (where Muntu was attending Mbarara Junior School) to Ntungamo! According to Muntu who grasped the depth of mom’s lesson later in life, mother taught them that they (children) ‘were just one of the others’!
For P.1 and P.2, Muntu attended Mbarara Junior School, a 1911 Protestant founded mixed day and boarding nursery and primary school that later became government-aided in 1952. Later on, for P.3 to P.7, he attended Kitunga Primary School and then Kitunga High School (for O’ level), also known as Muntuyera High School, following Obote’s renaming in honor of Muntu’s father, Muntuyera! For A’ level, he attended Makerere college School. In general, he attended home schools until A’ level! When done with primary and secondary education, Muntu attended Makerere University, and graduated in political science (1979-1981).
Many sources, including Wikipedia say that, while at Makerere university, Muntu became deputy president of the students union, implying he was already political, and, according to a 2005 New Vision report by Muhanga and Baguma, a principled one! For example, one Almunus is quoted saying: ‘He was a honest man. I still remember the time he was in charge of the guild canteen. The canteen would be allocated beer at factory price. But before Muntu took charge, those responsible used to get the beer at factory price and sell it on the open market for a profit; leaving the canteen with very minimal supplies. During Muntu’s time, the canteen had enough beer and at factory price‘.
Muntu married his wife, Julia Kakonge Muntu, in 1992. They have two children, Ankunda Muntu (born in 1993) and Bukama Muntu (1996). Muntu’s wife is a daughter to John Kakonge, the 1960s and 1970s diehards of UPC and Obote. He (Kakonge) was a Minister for Agriculture in Obote’s first rule. When Amin came into power in 1971, Kakonge John was one of the many who Amin regarded as opponents, and was killed (a bad death; crushed by hammer in Makindye Prison). Julia is also a sister to Leo Kyanda, who, currently, is a Major General in Uganda’s UPDF.
She is a Masters Degree Holder in Arts and Sociology of Development (University of Essex-England), Masters in Business Administration (Maastricht school of management-Netherland), and Bachelors in Political Science and Women Studies (University of Ottawa, Canada). According to her LinkedIn Profile, she specializes in International Development in Africa, the work she accomplishes mainly through African Development Bank. Her digital footprint is low!
Bukama Muntu studied and graduated from University of Toronto Scarborough campus with a major in Women and Gender Studies and a double minor in Psychology and English Literature (2019). She then embarked on pursing nursing at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. According to her, nursing will give her the practical options to deliver on her intentions (intentions her earlier studies ignited) for women in general. More exploration reveals her as a leader, even at school, in a forum called Hart House, especially in the areas of gender and race (see here and here), and, confesses Muntu, she, her brother, and mother, support Muntu a lot!
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On the other hand, Ankunda Muntu’s digital footprint is bizarre; nothing! In general, the family (wife and children) of General Mugisha Muntu has a very low digital footprint.
Joining National Resistance Army, NRA, 1981
During his time at the university (1979-1981), Muntu woke up from political slamber! The man who had grown from a family of UPC people started re-thinking everything, including what his father believed in politically. According to an account written by Kiggundu Edris, at University, Muntu met guys like Kiiza Besigye, Henry Tumukunde, and Jim Muhwezi. With these guys, he started mobilizing against the unlawful killings by Amin’s regime. When he finished University in 1981, the man, instead of securing a great job (becoming an aide to president Milton Obote) through his ‘great UPC father’, joined Museveni’s guerilla war (since March 31st 1981)! This implies that his joining was purely value or principle-driven (otherwise, he had everything at home!).
Few days into this new life, it is said, he was shot in the chest during one of their confrontations with government (Obote’s). He was later sneaked into hospital for treatment. Some say, this was Mulago hospital and others say it was Kiseka market health center. When he got better, an opportunity he would have used to not return to the bush and, instead, go home, the principled soldier went back to the bush, securing more confidence and trust from the guerrilla war general, Museveni. He got promoted:
He was a Political Commissar in the rebel Mondlane Unit and was later made its Intelligence Officer (IO). He later became Kabarega Unit IO from where he was (in 1983) made Director of Civil Intelligence while Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi was Director of Military Intelligence.
In 1986, January 26th, NRA took over power in the famous 9 days war (17-26th January 1986), the Battle of Kampala. He later emerged as the head of Miltary Intelligence. In the Wikipedia’s account, it is said that he had Paul Kagame, the current president of Rwanda, under his command. In the following year, 1987, Muntu was sent to Russia for more training. When he returned, he was made the Chief Political Commissar, taking over from Amanya Mushega. From then, the young soldier never looked back. He confesses: ‘I was later made the Division commander of 5th Division in Lira from where I was appointed Army Commander late 1989‘. In one account, his success is attributed to his loyalty and incorruptible service. From being Army Commander, Muntu was later promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed Army Commander (1989-1998).
After the 1995 constitution, NRA army was renamed UPDF, and Muntu’s position (Army Commander) became the ‘Chief of Defense forces of Uganda’. During Muntu’s reign as the Army chief, he disciplined the army to the core. Muntu was incorruptible, straight to the point and very indignant to any form of indiscipline. According to Muniini K. Mulela, he institutionalized the army, fought corruption, instilled professionalism, and remained Loyal to the presidency, not the president! According to Daily Monitor reporters, Irene Abalo Otto and Patience Ahimbisibwe, Muntu installed stabilization and demobilized about 50,000 personnel from Miltary service! In army, to demobilize is to ‘ stand down a nation’s armed forces from combat-ready status simply because of the victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary’.
Surprisingly, some sections of the army, chiefly led by Major General James Kazini accused Muntu of creating schism or division in the army by alienating the ‘uneducated’. However, a deeper examination of these accusations reveal nothing like that! On the contrary, his army disciplining efforts were supported by the president. It is important to note that Museveni (the president) loved James Kazini too; despite the general public complaints regarding the ‘unlearnedness’ of the general, Museveni kept promoting Kazini! Instead, a small wikipedia’s account of James Kazini’s life reveals him as a corrupt and unfaithful man, though with a fearless spirit during war!
Along with his miltary duties, Muntu was a member of National Resistance Council (NRC), the first interim group of people that governed the country shortly after NRA takeover in 1986 (read more about NRC). This council, originally comprised of 38 historical diehards of NRA army, including some few men from UPC and DP, later instituted the Constitutional Commission Statute or Odoki Commission (1988) that was to draft a document to inform the 1995 constitution. In 1993, NRC instituted Constituent Assembly Statute, which saw the Constituent Assembly of 1994-1995, the assembly that designed Uganda’s constitution.
According to a Ugandan political author, James Katorobo, as cited by a report document by Human Rights Watch, Mugisha Muntu is the only NRC guy who opposed what the Odoki Commission had presented for constitution. Straight from the document:
“However, in what has been described as a rare democratic sentiment from a military source in Africa, the commander of the National Resistance Army, Major General Mugisha Muntu, chastised the members of the NRC for fearing to face the electorate, and called for a renewed mandate from the people prior to the adoption of the constitution.”
General Mugisha Muntu Leaves NRA & Museveni
In light of how Mugisha presented himself during the constitution assembly, should we take this as his first official and public expression of his indignance to Museveni’s policies and where he was taking the country? Remember, the Odoki’s report and the general 1995 constitution consolidated much power to the president and restricted multi-party system. The human rights report document makes it plain: “Many of the debates which ultimately led to todays legal restrictions on civil and political rights took place in the Constituent Assembly in 1994-95“. In other words, Muntu was advocating for more ‘people power’ even when he was still the main man on the cake! Indeed, daily monitor reports:
‘His fallout with Museveni started around 1995 after his stint as a member of the Constituent Assembly which enacted the 1995 Constitution. They disagreed on the military and political approach, that saw his removal from military command and appointment as minister which he rejected, quit and went on to join the opposition‘.
Considering the above, it means that Muntu remained the army commander for only 3 years since the 8th October 1995 Uganda Constitution. When he got ‘fired’ in 1998, he was offered a chance to be the Minister of Defense, a position he ‘politely’ turned down! In November 2001, he was selected by the Members of Parliament to serve as one of the nine Ugandan representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), where he served between 2001/2002-2012.
To pronounce his position even clearly, Mugisha Muntu joined the opposition forum, The Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO). When, in 2004, PAFO later joined National Democratic Forum (NDF) and The Reform Agenda (RA) of Besigye and Sam Njuba to form Forum for Democratic Change, Muntu automatically became a member of the new FDC and served as the secretary for mobilization until 2012. On the other hand, Museveni managed to fight off this coalition and had the constitution amended in 2005, allowing for remove of term limits and enabling multi-party system. This further distance Museveni from his fellow collegues (then opposition) on the ideological roadmap for Uganda!
In 2008, Muntu stood up to lead FDC, but was defeated by Besigye. He rallied behind Besigye and was a serious supporter and mobilizer during the 2011 general elections! In 2012, Muntu stood up again and he won the party presidency against Nandala Mafabi.
Towards 2016 general elections, Besigye stood up to challenge Muntu for FDC Flagbearer, Muntu welcome the challenge, which he lost! Again, he rallied behind Besigye throughout the 2016 election struggles, the struggles that Besigye lost again, making it a fourth time loss to President Museveni (2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016). In 2017, Muntu stood up against Patrick Amuriat for FDC presidency, and, in an election that was characterized by a lot of internal struggles and conflicts, he lost to Patrick who was openly supported by Col. Kizza Besigye! In total, Muntu experienced four ‘losses’ while in FDC; 2008 party president, 2010 and 2015 party flagbearer, and 2017 party president!
According to almost all political commentators and Muntu himself, his leadership at FDC (2012-2017) was characterized by a lot of internal struggles and forces that fought against him in all directions. Mugisha Muntu, a democratic gentleman who believed in institutionalization and building FDC from structural level was always challenged by Besigye’s section within and outside FDC who believed that Uganda needed charismatic, violent, and less-professional approach to be able to unseat Museveni.
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According to Mugisha Muntu, pressure was too much; there were dangerous internal conflicts and progress was impossible within such environment. ‘Actually’, Muntu confesses, ‘it is because, as a party leader, I tried to always cover down the smoke, but it was too much’.
Mugisha Muntu Leaves FDC, Starts ANT!
After 8 months nation-wide consultations (15/1/2018-7/9/2018), Muntu left FDC on 25th September 2018. In his full statement, Muntu explained the whole process and the details of the internal struggles he had had to endure. In general, the reason for the quit was ideological differences, and, of course, the need to let each ‘wing’ thrive for the betterment of the opposition or this country. He openly confessed that quitting had offered him peace. In my view, Muntu’s quitting was the most professional kind of quitting in Ugandan politics! I mean, he genuinely had FDC and, through the consultations, the public, at heart when he made the decision!
In the next days that followed, Muntu started thinking about the future of the new formation. Apparently, Muntu had promised to launch the details (name, color, logo, etc) of the new party before 2018 Christmas. However, due to some bureaucracy challenges, including the need to first get registered and approved by Electoral commission, the process was delayed. Surprisingly, even before everything else, more than 10,000 people had expressed interest in joining the new party by 1st December 2018. For example, in October 2018 alone, 61 leaders in Ankole had crossed over to the new formation! This situation set FDC into panic!
On 19th March 2019, ANT was formed and by 25th April 2019, the party had received its formal certificate of registration as a political party in Uganda. Ms Alice Alaso, a former FDC Vice Chairperson and former MP Serere District, championed these efforts for promotion of the new formation. On 22 May 2019, the party officially launched at Serena Hotel. During the ceremony, details of the party brand (logo, colors, full name, etc), and leadership were unveiled.
On 7th July 2019, the first two MPs (Paul Mwiru-Jinja, and Gerald Karuhanga-Ntungamo) crossed over to ANT. That was just the beginning. With clear and direct emphasis on quality and value, Muntu and his fellows deepened their such for recruits. As of now, ANT is a strong party and work in progress. The latest joining by Winnie Kiiza proved more to the world that this thing is more serious and genuine that we ever thought! Indeed, according to Prof. Baryamureba, to prove seriousness, ANT had to divert strong leaders, including MPs from other parties into ANT, excite masses and cause serious defections from FDC into ANT, and field for a presidential candidate for 2021 general elections among others. It is clear that, irrespective of the challenges and COVID-19 hurdles, ANT managed to beat the expectations.
On 22nd June 2020, Mugisha Muntu officially wrote to ANT administration requesting to contest as ANT flagbearer for presidency, a request that required him to first resign his ANT post of national coordination. Alice Alaso took over the position and Muntu’s request was granted! No one else picked the contest forms, leaving Muntu unopposed for this position. At the same time, the party revealed that it wouldn’t hold primaries for its candidates unless a situation demanded so!
On 3rd November 2020, General Mugisha Muntu was officially nominated by Uganda’s Electoral Commission (EC) for 2021 presidential race. On 9th November 2020, the guy officially started off the campaigns in Makindye, Rubaga division. And as I write this, campaigns are currently hot! Additionally, ANT claims to have more than 200 candidates on MP ticket, and many more young and old people on various leadership positions in Uganda.
What People Say about Mugisha Muntu
A story by Ian Gumisiriza Jeremiah regarding General Muntu’s behavior since 1990s reveals that the general has always been principled, incorruptible and humble. In that story (also published here), Ian describes Muntu’s participation in 1996 and 2001 elections when his elder brother, Herbert Nuwagaba Muntuyera, was contesting. According to Ian, when Muntu’s elder brother wanted to bribe voters with soap and salt just like his then opponent, Kweronda, was doing, Muntu (then a General in the army) influenced Nuwagaba’s camp not to do the bribery, insisting that it wouldn’t show a difference between Herbert and the lowly Kweronda. This discipline costed them; the brother lost the 1996 elections!
In 2001, this brother tried again, and, this time, won the parliamentary seat. Surprisingly, Muntu was no longer in the army and he had turned down the ministerial job he had been offered. Did the brother go back to dirty ways? I don’t know!
Anyway, from the story, it seems, Muntu has always been genuine, humble (not using power and influence), and principled. In Ian’s words:
‘What is indelible also is my image of Gen. Mugisha Muntu as an incorruptible and principled leader who refused to compromise his standards or use his power and influence as Army Commander in favor of his elder brother. I have since followed Gen. Muntu with mixed feelings. Admiration, reverence and sometimes annoyance. I remember watching him on TV one day and muttering to myself; “How do you manage to be so rigid all the time?”. Sometimes we just want to see someone we admire act like the rest of us so as to vindicate our shortcomings in character’
But who is Ian Gumisiriza Jeremiah? Ian is actually a young man, currently, a Chairman of Museveni supporters association, and part of the team behind the #MySevo app, launched this year to help push for Museveni’s campaigns in this scientific election! He usually writes and supports Museveni (see here and here).
Dr. Muniini K. Mulera, a Ugandan neonatologist in Canada says Mugisha Muntu is a very democratic leader, who, unlike other opposition, is a real major threat to Museveni. In his own words, the experienced doctor and Africa Pan-Africanist writes:
‘The truth is that Mugisha Muntu is Museveni’s political nightmare. Muntu’s clean personal record, his environmentally friendly persona, his popularity with the security forces and his non-confrontational style do not sit well with the president. Museveni respects Muntu, but he fears him. Museveni knows that, under the right conditions, Muntu’s attributes can do political damage to the NRM and the life presidency project’.
In one of his other descriptions of Muntu, Muniini insists that, actually, Muntu is too good to be a Uganda President and, he continues, if it ever happens, Munti the best president Uganda will have: ‘Muntu is a genuine democrat, an advocate for transformative politics and a team player who enjoys respect across the entire political spectrum. Many Ugandans believe that he is highly qualified to be President of the Republic of Uganda. Others say that Muntu “is the best president Uganda never had.” And with sadness, the doctor notes: ‘If being an honest gentleman and a democrat in deeds and not just in words disqualifies one from leading Uganda, then our country is in a darker place than we realize‘
Muniini has a personal blog where you can find more of his work. He also have a lot of articles with Daily Monitor, and social media walls, for example, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, where you can fully meet him!
Crispus Ayena Odongo, a politician and lawyer says, ‘Muntu is somebody who doesn’t accept status quo, doesn’t give up’. Col. Fred Bogere (read his brief biography in this article) says Muntu is an ‘honest and principled’ man. Bogere adds that Muntu doesn’t have these issues of, ‘this is ours’! According to Bogere, Muntu who was at times called ‘mulokole’ only faces the issue of moral decay in current Uganda!
In general, randomly ask anyone what he or she thinks of Muntu, and he or she will confess, ‘that guy is simply awesome’! And, while some may interpret his awesomeness as weakness, many elites, including Muntu himself believe that humility is power. Muntu is even stronger than people ever imagine! It is just he knows how to control his power and emotions.
So, is Muntu the Real ‘Change You Can Trust’?
Well, what do you think? In light of all the above, YES, Muntu is the real change you can trust. He is knowledgeable, able to accomplish what he promises, keeps his word, is principles and incorruptible, and he commands respect among the army and general public. For Uganda’s sake, don’t you think this is the leader we deserve at this moment? Well, over to you!
Share your views in the comments section below.
Vicent Nemeyimana
June 1, 2024Great article, wow