Mugisha Muntu

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Mugisha Muntu is a member of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), a Ugandan political party.

Mugisha Muntu was born in October 1958 at Kitunga village in Ankole Uganda to the late Enock Ruzima Muntuyera and Aida Matama Muntuyera. He had an affluent childhood as his father was a strong government functionary and close friend of former Ugandan ruler Milton Obote. He attended Mbarara jnr school, Kitunga Primary, Kitunga High (later renamed Muntuyera high school in memory of his father by his friend president Obote) and later Makerere College School. He subsequently went on to graduate in political science from Makerere University where he was deputy president of the students union.

[edit] Military career

Muntu joined the guerrilla NRA of Yoweri Museveni the day he completed his university exams to the chagrin of his family and President Obote, who considered him a son. Early into the rebellion he was shot in the chest but survived after receiving treatment in Kampala. Later he emerged as the head of Military Intelligence after the Museveni victory in 1986. In military intelligence he had under his command personalities like Paul Kagame who would later become Rwandan president.

Later he underwent further training in Russia before becoming division commander in northern Uganda. He was later to serve as Uganda's longest-serving army commander (1989-1998) and gained repute as an incorruptible officer in an army riddled with corrupt officers. As army chief he oversaw the demobilisation of many sections of the army and bought new equipment for the force. He was also a member of the constituent assembly and parliamentarian.

After disagreeing with Museveni's sectarian approach to politics and the military, he was removed from the army command and appointed minister, a position he politely turned down.

[edit] Retirement from the army and opposition politics

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