By Our Reporter
NAMISINDWA
Khaukha George William Luke, born in 1951 in Bubutu, Namisindwa District, is among the few surviving war veterans and founding members of the Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM). He is seeking an opportunity to meet President Museveni and to be recognized by the government for his contribution to the liberation struggle.
Khaukha served as the UPM Publicity Secretary for Mbale District in 1980 under the late Perez Musamali (Chairman), Wadada Musani (Vice Chairman), and the late Maumbe Mukhwana (Treasurer), among others. He says he is one of the few remaining founding members of the movement.
He now appeals for special recognition and appreciation, noting that many individuals who defected from the then-ruling Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and who once persecuted them, have benefited more than the original UPM members who risked their lives for change.
Speaking to this reporter on Wednesday, 29th October, 2025, Khaukha says most of his fellow UPM executives, such as the late Musamali, the late Maumbe, and the late Wadada, have since been honored, yet he has been ignored and forgotten by the very regime he helped bring to power.
According to Khaukha, after the disputed 1980 elections, in which UPM won only one parliamentary seat through Crispus Kiyonga in Kasese, President Museveni decided to launch a guerrilla war. Government forces began hunting UPM members, forcing Khaukha to flee his home and abandon his livelihood. He recalls being advised by Musamali to escape to Bungoma, Kenya, where he lived in exile.
His situation worsened in 1986 when soldiers of the “Force Obote Back Again” (FOBA) group killed Musamali, the man he says was his mentor and visionary leader who always involved him in strategic plans.
Khaukha claims he has made several attempts to meet President Museveni but has always been frustrated by protocol and bureaucracy.
He later served as RC3 Chairman for Bubutu from 1986 to 1989. In 1991, he joined Kampala City Council as a volunteer legal assistant and retired in 2012 after the transformation of KCC into Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). Khaukha, a father of twelve, now appeals to local leaders to help fulfill his dream, particularly by lobbying for opportunities for his children.
He emphasizes that Bugisu, especially present-day Namisindwa, played a key role in the liberation struggle, recalling that President Museveni was once sheltered in areas such as Taaso and Kaboole. Local leaders therefore believe Namisindwa deserves special recognition.
President Museveni is expected to visit Namisindwa on 8th November 2025 as part of his campaign trail.
