Uganda’s Political Turmoil Post Idi Amin

It was around 2.30p.m amid the afternoon African hot sun, and the sky seemed to be angry with us, as a huge brown distinctive rainbow struck it across the west, the direction we were heading, and cut the red sun into half. That was a sign of the Lake Victoria spirits ironically preparing for a big feast on the waters for the catastrophe which was due to happen.

ments the tragedy struck, and the double deck vessel was hit by a huge killer current wave, the size of a building, and the vessel lost its balance and it started rocking from side to side and its crew lost control of it completely. This was a breathtaking point for everybody on board.

The catastrophe struck in a split second and the mighty boat started sinking whilst some soldiers were desperately fleeing the doomed vessel , but only to be swept away and  twisted by the deadly killer waves as they attempted to swim for survival.

In a matter of minutes, the last nail was driven into the coffin as the entire vessel got submerged into Lake Victoria, claiming all the lives on board, the weapons, logistics and all the crew.

         At that incredible bizarre time, we were in communication with Commander Maj. Patrick Kimumwe on a radio communication set, and certainly, his voice wavered hysterically with his last words,

“Trouble lads, can’t make it, can’t help, but….”

To make matters worse, in minutes after the tragedy, the hunter vulture birds were flying over the scenery, scavenging for their prey for the day. It was a bitter pill to swallow but it happened before our own eyes. At this moment, I realised that potential for disaster was breathtaking and our fighting conditions were far from ideal.

Meanwhile, whilst we were moaning for our colleagues who had disappeared in the Lake Victoria without a trace, it was time for us also to fight for our own lives too. Our vessel was hit by the strong current wave that had submerged the huge vessel. This undoubtedly threw all the soldiers on board in a wild panic.

At this horrific moment all troops were ordered to strip, and keep only the under pants on but throw all the uniforms and weapons in the water to make the boat lighter to avoid sinking like the other vessel. One grenade for each soldier was allowed for each soldier to keep in case of an ambush or if captured by the enemy, a grenade was necessary in such horrific circumstances in order to avoid torture when captured.

When every soldier dropped the guns in the water, I personally ignored the order and kept my artillery machine gun for fear that the enemy’s strong  Air force could blast us on finding out our location on their radar or their radio communication set .

I knew Amin’s deadly pilots like Kasujja who was nick named Amunya just to disguise himself as a “Kakwa,” Amin’s tribe in order not to survive Amin’s killer boys of the notorious State Research who were targeting the Baganda and Acholi tribes .Capt. Kasujja had another dangerous colleague the late Capt. Sam Walugembe, also a  Mig 21 fighter  pilot. They were all fresh pilot graduates from the Soviet Union and would do us no favour at all with their fighter planes cruising over targets. But with my 23 mm artillery machine gun at the ready, I would also do no favours to spare their lives.

It was a nightmare as our vessel was seriously threatened by the mighty water current wave like the other one that had disappeared mysteriously into the waters. I felt a surge in my stomach and my bottom was on fire, hence I could hardly hold my feet on the floor. I spared my artillery machine gun that was also rocking from side to side on the floor of the vessel upon which it was mounted on.

To our relief, thank God, the crew of this vessel fumbled and struggled their level best and at last manoeuvred the boat against the deadly killer waves. They however, eventually diverged the vessel towards the nearest shores of lake Victoria and steered to safety behind the thick forests.

Apparently, here behind the thick forest, the vessel could not dock because the water was shallow and we were a little braced that the killer storm had gradually died out.