The Life of Maj. Gen Benon Biraaro as Told by Contemporaries
When Maj. Gen. Benon Biraaro took the brazen step to take on President Yoweri Museveni in the 2016 Presidential elections, many political analysts, unaware of his immense potential, were dismissive.
It was not until they watched him eloquently dissect issues at the presidential debate held on February 13, 2016 that many then took him seriously.
Beneath his humble demeanor, close contemporaries say Biraaro was extremely brilliant, patient, diligent a leader; and above all God fearing.
Major (Rtd) John Kazoora, the author of ‘Betrayed by my leader’ intimates that these attributes were evident from their hey days as students at Nyakasura School.
Speaking at a requiem mass that was held at All Saints Cathedral on Friday, Kazoora praised Biraaro’s mobilization skills which saw him at one time overturn a school rule that made it compulsory for Cricket captains to be A ‘Level students.
“He mobilized us in O’Level and said why should it be HSC? They are only 100 and we are about 400 let us throw them out. And we threw them out and Benon became captain of Cricket,” he narrated.
While in O’ Level, Biraaro would later become prefect of Komwiiswa while Hannington Karuhanga Hannington and Kazoora were in charge of Commander and Bishop Balya houses respectively. They were later to become captains of the same houses in A ‘Level.
The trio went on to join Makerere University where Kazoora and Karuhanga were chairmen of Nkrumah and Northcote halls while Biraaro emerged as internal affairs minister.
Cigarettes save the day
Following Milton Obote’s chaotic return to Office in 1980, in 1982, Biraaro, a fresh graduate of Political Science, with five others including Kazoora took to the bush.
One day they were driving to meet fellow rebels, through Kawempe and Tula.
However, at Tula, they realized that civilian homes had been abandoned tipping them that the feared Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) could be in the area. So they made a U-turn but at Mpererwe, they landed into an army roadblock; and with grenades in their pickup truck, they were in serious trouble.
Out of options, Topha Agaba one of the active members lit a cigarette whose allure forced Obote soldiers to lose focus. Sensing this lapse, Topha asked if they needed some to which they responded in affirmative.
“And Topha said you need a cigarette, they said yes. He gave them a packet and they let us go without checking us,” Kazoora recollected.
Biraaro and friends in trouble
One day, in the bush, Biraaro and his friends were summoned to meet President Yoweri Museveni who was the Chairman of the High Command. Seated on a traditional stool, Museveni teased them on what they had studied and had been taught by Prof. Mamoud Mamdani at Makerere.
However, one of their colleagues and friends a one Abel Karegyesa (RIP) did not take it lightly rebutting their Principal rudely.
“This guy told him that the problem with you or what kills you is that you think those who did not study what you studied did not study,” Kazoora revealed.
“He said Magara, Magara said sir. By the time we knew we had no shirts. We were down and there was some stingy bush. They put us there and said roll and roll,” he looked back.
Eulogizing the late, Gomba County West legislator Robina Rwakoojo Gureme acknowledged the deceased general as a proven cricketer and A-Class student who was always ambitious.
On his part, former security minister Gen Henry Tumukunde remembered the fallen giant for his honesty and astuteness.
Profile
Born on March 1 1958 in Isingiro District, Biraaro rose from being a Protocol Officer in the Mondlane Unit (1982-1983) to Military Assistant upon capture of power in 1986. He then went on to command the Senior Command and Staff College (SCSC) Kimaka from 2005 to 2007.
This was after he had served as Chief of Staff at Land Forces Headquarters in Bombo for two years which ended in 2005.
Besides having completed a Senior Staff and Command Course at Nigeria’s Kaduna Defence College in 1991, Biraaro is also a graduate of the prestigious Fort Leaven Worth Military Academy found in America.
Today, his body will be taken to Isingiro district for another service at a church he helped construct.
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