Sam Magara (died 2 August 1982) was a Ugandan rebel, and one of the
National Resistance Army
The National Resistance Army (NRA), the military wing of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), was a rebel army that waged a guerrilla war, commonly referred to as the Ugandan Bush War or Luwero War, against the government of Milton Obote, and l ...
(NRA)'s leading commanders during the early
Ugandan Bush War
The Ugandan Bush War, also known as the Luwero War, the Ugandan Civil War or the Resistance War, was a civil war fought in Uganda by the official Ugandan government and its armed wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), against a number o ...
. A long-time associate of NRA leader
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. Museveni spearheaded rebellions with aid of then ...
, he became the latter's
second-in-command
Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation.
Usage
In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
in 1981 and assumed command of the NRA in his absence. However, he fell into disfavor after the NRA's internal security network alleged that he was planning to overthrow Museveni. Magara was eventually killed by security forces in
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
in late 1982.
Biography
Early life and exile
Sam Emmanuel Magara
was an ethnic Bahima, and part of the Muhinda clan.
He was born to Mutembeya, a sub-county chief in
Ankole
Ankole (Nkore language, Runyankore: ''Nkore''), was a traditional Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom in Uganda and lasted from the 15th century until 1967. The kingdom was located in south-western Uganda, east of Lake Edward.
History
Ankole Realm, K ...
.
Sam Magara joined
Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. Museveni spearheaded rebellions with aid of then ...
's
Front for National Salvation
The Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) was a Ugandan rebel group led by Yoweri Museveni. The group factually emerged in 1971, although it was formally founded in 1973. FRONASA, along with other militant groups such as Kikosi Maalum (led by Mil ...
(FRONASA)
at an early point. FRONASA worked to overthrow the
regime
In politics, a regime (also "régime") is the form of government or the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of a government or institution and its interactions with society. According to Yale professor Juan Jo ...
of
Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern w ...
, dictator of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. In 1973, Magara's brother Martin Mwesiga was killed during a shootout between FRONASA militants and Amin's security forces. Afterwards, Magara and his family fled into exile.
Exiled to
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
, he began studying at the
University of Dar es Salaam
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is a public university in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It was established in 1961 as an affiliate college of the University of London. The university became an affiliate of the University of East Africa (UEA) in 1 ...
for a
master's degree
A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. . There, he met his future wife, Joy. The two relocated to Kenya, where they married in
Nairobi
Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...
in 1977.
Magara was also a lawyer,
and served in the
Save Uganda Movement
The Save Uganda Movement (abbreviated SUM) was a militant Ugandan opposition group which fought against the Second Republic of Uganda, government of President of Uganda, President Idi Amin from 1973 to 1979. Described as "specialists in sabotage" ...
for some time.
Amin was overthrown during the
Uganda–Tanzania War
The Uganda–Tanzania War, known in Tanzania as the Kagera War (Kiswahili: ''Vita vya Kagera'') and in Uganda as the 1979 Liberation War, was fought between Uganda and Tanzania from October 1978 until June 1979 and led to the overthrow of Uganda ...
of 1978–1979. Magara began training
at the
Tanzania Military Academy
The Tanzania Military Academy (TMA) is a military training academy located in Monduli in northern Tanzania. It is regarded as a prestigious training institution and has trained officers from a number of countries across the region.
History
The ...
at
Monduli.
He returned to Uganda in late 1980, where a new political crisis had developed. Ex-President
Milton Obote
Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from British colonial rule in 1962. Following the nation's independence, he served as prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to ...
had won the
December 1980 election, a result which was heavily contested by the Ugandan opposition including Museveni. Several rebel groups emerged to battle Obote's regime and its military, the
Uganda National Liberation Army
The Uganda National Liberation Front (UNLF) was a political group formed by exiled Ugandans opposed to the rule of Idi Amin with an accompanying military wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA). UNLA fought alongside Tanzanian forces in ...
(UNLA), in the
Ugandan Bush War
The Ugandan Bush War, also known as the Luwero War, the Ugandan Civil War or the Resistance War, was a civil war fought in Uganda by the official Ugandan government and its armed wing, the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), against a number o ...
.
Ugandan Bush War
Popular Resistance Army insurgency
In December 1980, Museveni called for his closest supporters and allies to meet in
Makindye
Makindye is a hill in Kampala, Uganda's largest city and capital. The name also refers to the neighborhood that sits on that hill. Makindye is also the seat of Makindye Division, one of the five administrative zones of the city of Kampala.
Loca ...
; Magara was among the attendants. The group discussed plans to launch an insurgency. Museveni tasked Magara to link up with supporters of the "
Gang of Four
The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
",
a
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
opposition faction.
Together, they visited the bases of the
UNLF-AD, the Gang of Four's armed wing, in the
Rwenzori Mountains
The Ruwenzori, also spelled Rwenzori and Rwenjura, are a range of mountains in eastern equatorial Africa, located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The highest peak of the Ruwenzori reaches , and the range' ...
.
Meanwhile, the political rivalry between Museveni and Obote escalated in violence, as supporters of both carried out assassinations against each other. Magara and ex-FRONASA cadres under his leadership murdered several ex-
Kikosi Maalum
Kikosi Maalum (meaning "Special Force" in Swahili), also known as the Special Battalion or the grand coalition, was a militia of Ugandan exiles formed in Tanzania to fight against the regime of Idi Amin. The unit was founded by and loyal to forme ...
fighters who were loyal to Obote.
In early 1981, Magara was part of the small group that formed Museveni's
Popular Resistance Army
The Popular Resistance Army, also known as Movement for the Struggle for Political Rights, was a rebel group organized around late 1980 and early 1981 by Yoweri Museveni to fight against the regime of Milton Obote of Uganda. It was one of the Nati ...
(PRA), a rebel force which was supposed to overthrow Obote's government. At the time, Magara was a 2nd lieutenant and one of the few professionally trained soldiers in Museveni's group. As a result of this background
and due to him being a "close comrade" of Museveni, he became the PRA leader's
second-in-command
Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation.
Usage
In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
.
Alongside Museveni and
Elly Tumwine, Magara planned the PRA's first operation which culminated in the
Battle of Kabamba
The Battle of Kabamba (6 February 1981), also known as the First Battle of Kabamba, was the result of an attempt by Popular Resistance Army (PRA) rebels to capture an armoury at the Kabamba Military Barracks, defended by the Tanzania People's Def ...
in February 1981.
He served as one of the rebel commanders during this clash. His unit was supposed to capture the armoury of the
Kabamba Kabamba is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname:
*Edouard Kabamba (born 1987), Belgian footballer
*Maguy Kabamba (born 1960), Democratic Republic of the Congo writer and translator
*Nicke Kabamba (born 1993 ...
Military Barracks, but was unable to do so. In March, he was appointed commander of the PRA's 2nd Section, operating along the
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
–
Bombo Bombo may refer to:
Music
* ''Bombo'' (musical), a 1921 Broadway production starring Al Jolson
* "Bombo" (song), by Norwegian singer Adelén
*Bombo criollo or just bombo, a family of Latin American drums
*Bombo legüero, an Argentine drum
*An 18th ...
Road.
Museveni often left Magara in command of the entire PRA when leaving the field.
National Resistance Army commander
In June 1981, a new rebel coalition was organised, with the PRA and the
Uganda Freedom Fighters
The Uganda Freedom Fighters (UFF), also known as the Buganda Army, was a Ugandan rebel group led by former president Yusufu Lule. Opposed to Milton Obote's government, the group fought in the Ugandan Bush War. By early 1981, the group was based i ...
agreeing to unite as the
National Resistance Movement
The National Resistance Movement ( sw, Harakati za Upinzani za Kitaifa; abbr. NRM) has been the ruling party in Uganda since 1986.
History
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) was founded as a liberation movement that waged a guerrilla ...
(NRM), with the
National Resistance Army
The National Resistance Army (NRA), the military wing of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), was a rebel army that waged a guerrilla war, commonly referred to as the Ugandan Bush War or Luwero War, against the government of Milton Obote, and l ...
(NRA) as armed wing. Museveni became Chairman of the High Command of the NRA, while Magara was appointed the NRA's deputy commander after his predecessor, Ahmed Seguya, died of sickness.
Magara was designated RO/0005 within the NRA.
![Paul Kagame01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Paul_Kagame01.jpg)
Museveni consequently ventured abroad, leaving Magara in command of the NRA from June to December 1981. In course of this period, however, the NRA began to experience substantial internal tensions due to ethnic and social differences between the rebel fighters, as the group expanded from just about 200 to over 900 fighters. Despite being described as a charismatic leader, Magara was also harsh and worsened the strains within the movement. He executed one of his officers, Shaban Kashanku,
after a short trial. Kashanku had temporarily left a NRA camp without permission, and Magara had accused him of being a
double agent
In the field of counterintelligence, a double agent is an employee of a secret intelligence service for one country, whose primary purpose is to spy on a target organization of another country, but who is now spying on their own country's organi ...
.
Other NRA militants objected to Kashanku's killing, claiming that he had only visited a nearby town. The execution further damaged the already tense relationships within the NRA, with many common fighters fearing that they too might be summarly killed. In addition, Magara formed a clique with fellow NRA officers Jack Muchunguzi, Hannington Mugabi and Joram Mugume.
The NRM's internal security network led by
Paul Kagame
Paul Kagame (; born 23 October 1957) is a Rwandan politician and former military officer who is the 4th and current president of Rwanda since 2000. He previously served as a commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Uganda-based rebel ...
began to suspect that Magara and his allies were conspiring against Museveni. Kagame's network believed that the clique planned to take power from Museveni in a coup or split off to form a separate rebel force in Rwenzori Mountains. Magara's circle was suspected of working with the Gang of Four in this regard.
Kagame reportedly stopped the plot in its tracks.
Museveni rushed back to retake command after being informed of the situation
and held several meetings with his troops to restore order. He was able to defuse the internal tensions by introducing a detailed code of conduct for the NRA. Magara was subsequently sidelined within the NRA.
In August 1982,
Magara and other NRA members secretly entered the Ugandan capital Kampala,
where he intended to visit a dentist
due to a tooth problem. However, their cover was blown and their hideout encircled by UNLA soldiers. While several NRA fighters were able to escape, Magara attempted to retrieve crucial documents before leaving, and was shot dead by the security forces
at the house of Ambassador Katenta Apuuli in
Naakulabye
Naakulabye, also Nakulabye, is a neighborhood within the city of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda.
Location
Naakulabye is located in Lubaga Division, in northwestern Kampala. It is bordered by Makerere Kikoni to the north, Makere ...
on 2 August.
His death was regarded as a heavy blow to the NRA, and was reportedly celebrated by Obote's government.
The government paraded his corpse, alongside those of other suspected NRA supporters, through
Bugoloobi
Bugoloobi sometimes spelled as Bugolobi though incorrect, is a location in Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. It is a suburban neighborhood and some of the most valuable properties in Kampala are found here. It is among the most develop ...
.
Rumours quickly emerged within the NRA which alleged that Magara had been killed as a result of the continuing tensions within the NRA;
the NRA command gave orders that nobody should discuss his demise. NRA veteran John Kazoora claimed that it "was clear that
agarawas betrayed and a victim of intrigue".
Ultimately, two of Magara's alleged co-conspirators, Mugabi and Muchunguzi, were killed under disputed circumstances;
Muchunguzi was allegedly executed by Kagame.
Magara's family was only informed of his demise six months later,
and his sister was able to arrange for a proper burial at
Lugogo.
He and his brother Martin Mwesiga were exhumed and reburied at Rutooma,
Kajara, in 2005.
Personal life
Sam and Joy Magara had four children: Stalin Kanduho (born 1975), Patricia Magara (born 1978), Sam Mwerindebiro (born 1980), and Emmanuel Noowe. Stalin Kanduho later became an officer in the
Uganda People's Defence Force
The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...
, the NRA's successor organization, while Patricia Magara became a lawyer. As a result of Magara's activities as a rebel, the family spent the 1970s and early 1980s mostly in exile in Kenya, eventually returning to Uganda in 1984.
References
Works cited
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Magara, Sam
Ugandan military personnel
1982 deaths
People executed by Uganda
Save Uganda Movement
National Resistance Movement