Retired Colonel Anthony Kyakabale, a respected bush war veteran who famously broke ranks with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, has passed away in Sweden.
Kyakabale, registered as RO/00058 in the army, was among the early fighters of the five-year National Resistance Army (NRA) guerrilla war that brought President Yoweri Museveni to power in 1986.
Born in Kabale District, he joined the army in 1980 and took part in the historic attack on Kabamba Barracks in February 1981, which marked the beginning of the liberation struggle. After the NRM victory, he rose through the ranks and was later promoted to the position of Lieutenant Colonel.
Fallout with the Government
Kyakabale’s relationship with the ruling establishment began to sour after the 2001 presidential elections. Alongside other senior officers such as Colonel Samson Mande, he grew increasingly frustrated, especially after their comrade, Dr. Kizza Besigye, challenged President Museveni’s leadership.
Facing possible arrest and disciplinary measures, Kyakabale fled Uganda in 2001. In 2002, he publicly declared war on the government, accusing President Museveni of taking the country “back to a violent past.” His defection made him one of the figures linked to the shadowy rebel group known as the People’s Redemption Army (PRA).
After briefly staying in Rwanda, Kyakabale moved to Sweden in 2003, where he lived in self-imposed exile for more than a decade. He eventually led a quiet life there with his family under the country’s asylum and integration programs.
In 2015, following negotiations with the Ugandan government, he reconciled with President Museveni and was allowed to return home. Upon his return, he met with the President, apologized, and was later promoted to the rank of Colonel before officially retiring from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in 2016.
Although he spent time in Uganda after his retirement, Kyakabale later returned to Sweden, where he lived until his death.
