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The RPF liberation struggle: Museveni involved in war planning

By RNA Reporter
July 9, 2009

Photo:
Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni being decorated by his counterpart Paul Kagame on liberation day.


Kigali: Controversy is brewing in Uganda over the role President Yoweri Museveni played in planning the war effort of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) – just days after he was awarded with the highest honors in Kigali last week, RNA reports.

RPF former head General Fred Rwigema is said to have got support from the “highest levels” of Uganda’s establishment as he planned to attack Rwanda, according to The Observer newspaper. Among those cited includes President Museveni’s brother General Salim Saleh – a bush war hero who remains one of the most influential officers.

Mr. Museveni and the Rwanda Patriotic Front have not revealed what exactly the former did for the rebel force – 15 years after they ousted the Habyarimana government. On Liberation Day July 04, Mr. Museveni told his audience in Kigali that he met General Rwigema (RIP) before leaving for the UN General Assembly only to be told later that the Rwandan soldiers had deserted.

Military sources say there is no way Rwandese soldiers would have escaped without the knowledge of either the guards or the orderly sergeants, the newspaper reports.

“Besides, military encampments usually keep what they call observation posts immediately outside. The work of these observation posts is to detect any movement of a group of people towards or outside the barracks,” its source said.

The RPF made its first attack on October 01, and Senior Ugandan army officers who were in the know at that time reveal that this invasion was supported by some Ugandan soldiers, and Kigali was to fall on the second day, according to the plan.

Ugandan soldiers who fought alongside the RPF say that Habyarima’s army was taken by surprise and fled in disarray. Indicative of their involvement, a group arose last week claiming it was demanding some $6million from the Rwandan government in arrears after fighting and wining the war. Kigali says the 235 claimants are “greedy and impatient”.

After the death of General Rwigema on the war front, then Major Paul Kagame who had been sent on a military course in the United States by the Uganda Government was forced to return.

Apparently, Mr. Kagame spent about three days in Uganda on his way to the battle front, receiving briefing from General Salim Saleh. But he didn’t need much coaching because he was already an experienced fighter, having joined the NRA bush war on day one, the newspaper said.

President Kagame had served as deputy Director of Military Intelligence before going to study in the US.

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posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 8:38 AM