By Staff Writer

Uganda Correspondent

Col. John Charles Ogole

In terms of stature, he is most definitely not your typical Ugandan.  For a start, he is very well built; throughout in fact!  Secondly, going by my rudimentary estimation, I would say that standing, he easily hits above 6ft mark.  Thirdly, I think he probably weighs something that the Doctor would say is perfectly proportionate for that sort of stature; so you work it out for yourself.  Fourthly, his hands are blessed with long and larger than average fingers that give you more than just a firm grip when you greet him.  For most small people, I am sure a handshake with him would feel like a “David and Goliath” hand-squeezing contest.  His head is now covered in neatly trimmed silver-white grey hair.  And yet, only a few minutes with him will tell you that his grey hair is very deceptive.  Beneath that grey covered skull lies a brain that could put that of many Ugandan graduates to shame.  It is, in other words, a head that is still firing on all cylinders; like a brand new car!  Meticulous, alert, and time conscious are the most appropriate words that immediately come to mind to describe him.  And here is why. 

I had already heard many things about him.  Some good, and some not so good!  So it is fair to say that I had a good idea of what to expect.  But nothing had and could have prepared me for the reality.  As a complete stranger, I was meeting him for the very first time.  Straight away, he told me off; seriously in fact.  And the reason for his irritation with me was that I had arrived 5mins late for our interview appointment!  Who on earth is this man I am meeting today, I wondered?  I was, after all, only being who I am; a Ugandan who never keeps time!  He was having none of that nonsense.  “Lateness is a sign of disrespect”; he charged.

This, as I am sure you have worked out, is Colonel John Charles Ogole; a 66yr old Ugandan.  From the average sized living room of his adopted home in the United Kingdom, with colourful graduation portraits of himself and his children proudly looking down upon him, after nearly a quarter of a Century, Col. John Ogole, in this exclusive interview with the Uganda Correspondent, has finally spoken out about his public and private life.  From the 1981-86 Luwero war, to Museveni’s 24yr record at the helm of political power in Uganda; it’s all in there. 

But who is the real Col. John Charles Ogole; I imagine you asking?  And does it matter that he has finally spoken; you might even add?  Very good questions!  And I wish I could answer them with certainty; but I can’t.  Because to some, it really doesn’t matter that Ogole has finally broken his long silence.  To others however, and especially the younger generation of Ugandans who have only been fed on Museveni’s side of “the Ogole story”, I suspect that it might matter a great deal.  So, for the benefit of that young generation of Ugandans, a generation that Ogole himself says he has “tremendous” faith in because “…they don’t carry the burden of politically manufactured prejudices”, this is who Col. John Charles Ogole is; in his own words:

“I was born in the old Lango District that has been split by Museveni into very many useless administrative entities.  I joined the armed services in the mid 1960s and served in various roles that included that of Adjutant, Commanding Officer; Brigade Commander; Deputy Director of Records; and Chief of Personnel in Uganda National Liberation Army [UNLA].  I also did a course at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Lavenworth – Kansas – USA.  Most Ugandans however remember me as the Commander of the Special Brigade that flashed Museveni’s NRA guerrillas out of what is known as the “Luwero Triangle” today”. 

In this series, Uganda Correspondent sounds out Col. Ogole about the reasons for his very long silence on Ugandan politics; we sound him out about his role in the “Luwero Triangle” war; we sound him out about UPC President Olara Otunnu’s call for a fresh independent inquiry into the Luwero atrocities; we seek his opinion and judgement on Museveni’s 24yrs at the helm of Ugandan politics; we ask what he thinks should be the way forward for Uganda; and whether he thinks he still has a constructive role to play in that “way forward” for Uganda.  Very riveting stuff!

For example, on the question of his long silence, Ogole, in typical military style, seems to suggest that it was merely tactical.  On the Luwero war, we guarantee you that he has literally “left no stone unturned”; the beans have been spilt in spectacular fashion.  And what does he say about UPC President Olara Otunnu’s call for a fresh independent inquiry into the Luwero atrocities?  All we can say for now is that it might surprise very many people.  On Museveni’s 24yr record, Ogole is vitriolic in his assessment.  On whether he will ever set foot in Uganda again, “God willing…” was his unequivocal answer.

A middle ranking London based NRM cadre who Uganda Correspondent talked to about Col. Ogole’s decision to speak out about Ugandan politics simply dismissed Ogole’s views outright as “inconsequential”; never mind that he had not even heard a word of what Ogole had to say.  If like this dismissive NRM cadre you feel that you already have something to say about Ogole’s decision to speak out now, then send it to us right away at opinions@ugandacorrespondent.com or simply use the interactive short comments facility that we have on every page on our site.  Make sure you bookmark and log into www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday.  Let the big debate commence!  See you next week.