1983;
By the time major Gen. Oyite Ojok died in a helicopter crush in December 1983, most NRA units had already returned to their former operational zones.
1983;
Salim Saleh, a key commander for the NRA, was injured during an attack on Bukalabi, near Nakaseke town. The NRA also lost nine good fighters, too. This first major UNLA offensive started in June 1982.
Including an attack on military jeep at Kassangombe, an ambush at Timun, a raid at Nakaseke police post, Kiwoko police post and then Nakaseke hospital.
Gradually, the Abayekera took control of the entire area, cut off at Lumansi on the Nakaseke,Wobulenzi road, at Lugogo on the Timuna-Naseeta-Luwero road and at Kikubanimba on the Luweero-Kiwoko road, at River Danze on the Masuulita-Semuto road and at Kayanda on the Matugga-Semuto road.
Overall, the area under the NRA control started from near Wobulenzi, Kikubanimba in Kiwoko, through Ngoma to Kyankwanzi around Kakiga near Kapeeka, Kalongero bridge near Matugga. Today, this area has parts of Kiboga and Wakiso. They even set up an administrative system, manned by the RCs and the zonal commanders.
The Action
Galiwango explained that they had grown to think that no amount of force would dislodge the NRA. He and the other residents were wrong. Unknown to the residents of Nakaseke, the UNLA had assembled 70% of army and deployed it in Luwero to ‘defeat’ the NRA once and for all.
The NRA unit at Lumansi had several infantry support guns, including a General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG). Unfortunately, when the fighting begun, it jammed after firing it for a long time. They were left with no option but to withdraw.
The fighting at Lumansi took several days and did not resemble any of the earlier UNLA offensives the rebels were used to defeating. The UNLA had each of their best weapons bearing down on the NRA units. These included helicopters and BM-21 122MM Katyusa multiple rockets launching systems, some being manned by Koreans. The BM-21 gRD is a self-propelled 12mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. It varies from 21 to 40 barrels. Thes system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino Soviet Border BM stands for bByevaya Mashina, which means combat machine/vehicle.
In addition to the BMs, UNLA also deployed 12mm anti-aircraft guns, but now adopted for ground for ground support, 37mm plus 120mm mortars.
After days of fighting, the NRA unit got overwhelmed and decided to withdraw. They withdrew through Nakaseke, warning the population to mov away.
” We saw the NRA soldiers run through Nakaseke and they told us to leave. Moments later, the first units of the UNLA arrived in the town, shooting and killing anybody on sight,” says Musa Ssetimba, a resident of Kiziba.
It gradually dawned on the population that the NRA had been defeated. And that no one was safe. It was time to to run. The plunder of what came to be known as the Luwero triangle, had started.
Galiwango, Ssematimba and many of the residents moved with the NRA into the dreaded Ssingo area, about 80km away from their homes. Others sneaked through UNLA lines and came to Kampala to live with relatives and in an Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camp set up by government at Mulago.
“There were no food and water. We did not have any medicine in Ssingo. It was terrible,” Galiwango says.
For the residents of Nakaseke, going to Ssingo was the worst period of the war. The properties they left behind were destroyed and looted by the UNLA soldiers and UPC youth wingers.
“Our house was unroofed and another bombed by the soldiers,” Kibuuka said before he died. Between March and June 1983, NRA was not so active in their former zones as most of the fighters camped in areas around Ngoma, near River Kafu.
NRA Returns
Some in the NRA ranks gave up and started warning others against Museveni’s dream. Others surrendered to the UNLA. In one incident at Nakasongola, Cris Rwakasisi, the then state minister in the office of the president, had a field day ‘launching’ and jeering at a group of emaciated NRA soldiers who had surrendered to the UNLA’
“Look at them, it looks like they have not eaten for days …. even if you give their bodies to dogs, the dogs may not eat them.,” he said.
But for the hardened fighters, there are very many who maintained their belief in their commander, Museveni. The NRA even maintained some units behind enemy lines to carry out ‘rear’ guard actions.’ And Museveni came up with an ace plan. Rather than keep running away from the aggressive UNLA, which had out shined and outnumbered them, he sneaked his force across the region to attack Hoima.
It was a huge comeback, not only did it surprise the UNLA, which had started basking in victory, but it also brought back the confidence of the NRA soldiers, gave them more firing power and spread the theatre of war.
On June 30, 1983, the rebels attacked Hoima, captured weapons and cash from the Bank. Then, on July, 16, they attacked Luwero, killing 43 government soldiers, but they also lost a good fighter called Kakwenza. With at least six other major ambushes in Ngoma, Ndejje, on Hoima Road and others, the UNLA hold was gradually being broken.
By the time Major General Oyite Ojok died in a helicopter crash in December 1983, most NRA units had already returned to their former operational zones.
The death of Ojok hastened the further disintegration of the UNLA. The largest offensive against the NRA ended with the news of Ojok’s death, UNLA troops in Nakaseke, Kapeeka and Semuto.