In 1982, Kale Kayihura, joined the National Resistance Army (NRA), an armed struggles waged by Yoweri Museveni against then President Milton Obote.
Kayihura was a student at London School of Economics in UK when a friend of President Museveni visited the campus.
The visitor spoke well about Museveni that Kayihura decided to join the NRA guerrillas.
In Uganda, Museveni saw Kayihura as a reliable mobilizer and truthful intelligence officer.
Museveni kept Kayihura close, giving him (...)

Sponsored Ad

In 1982, Kale Kayihura, joined the National Resistance Army (NRA), an armed struggles waged by Yoweri Museveni against then President Milton Obote.

Kayihura was a student at London School of Economics in UK when a friend of President Museveni visited the campus.

The visitor spoke well about Museveni that Kayihura decided to join the NRA guerrillas.

In Uganda, Museveni saw Kayihura as a reliable mobilizer and truthful intelligence officer.

Museveni kept Kayihura close, giving him sensitive assignments that included mobilization work in Kigezi region.

Kayihura would later rise to the rank of General in the military which he has served for more than three decades.

ChimpReports this Sunday landed on a letter authored by Kayihura in 1985 as NRA moved to seize power.

In the letter, Kayihura tells a one Jane, explaining what the liberation struggle was about, and why it was very important for people to join.

Nothing is currently known about Jane or any other people mentioned in the letter.

The letter reveals a lot about the General himself and his beliefs.

It shows Kayihura was determined to fight for. a better and united Uganda – a Uganda for the people, with the people and by the people.

“Ours is not party politics, politics of cliques, sectarian politics of demagoguery, of lies and intrigue pretending to be serving the people,” he wrote about NRA then.

This letter, whose authenticity we confirmed with multiple associates and former comrades in the struggle, will ignite debate on the character of Kayihura.

Towards the end of his reign as police chief, Kayihura was accused of repression, jailing political opponents and journalists; and systematic abuse of human rights.

Multiple human rights reports blamed police under Kayihura of using brutal force to crush dissent.

But Kayihura defended use of force, saying opposition political elements sought to topple the government of President Museveni.

In ‘Today in History’ we, for the first time, unveil Kayihura’s letter to Jane at the peak of the NRA liberation war.

Kale’s Letter to Jane

I was pleasantly surprised to hear from you. It’s always nice to know that someone somewhere is thinking of you. Well, we are fine here now that [illegible] in Masaka surrendered. But, of course, this does not mean that we are any less busy.

In fact, the more our war develops, of course for the better, the more we realize what a monumental job lies ahead.

The consolation is that every step marks success and so one proceeds ahead even more forcefully.

There was nothing eventful on our journey back this way. We reached safely.

My disappointment was failure to have enough opportunity to get to know you. There is always the hope, however, that we shall meet again in better circumstances.