READ HOW MK NEWSLINK.COM JOURNALIST SAVED THE LIFE OF LATE TYCOON GARUGA MUSINGUZI IN 2002 WHEN UPDF WANTED TO KILL HIM ON ORDERS OF RTD PM AMAMA MBABAZI

LATE TYCOON GARUGA, MK KASIBANTE AND RTD PM MBABAZI
By Wilber Muhweezi Kasibante (MK)
In southwestern Uganda.
www.mknewslink.com——
It was Easter Day in 2002 when the late tycoon Garuga Musinguzi was arrested by UPDF and taken to to Kanyantorogo army detach on orders of his political opponent minister Amama mbabazi.
The two were contesting together for kikinzi west parliamentary seat and mbabazi was for movement whereas the late tycoon Garuga was for reform agenda which had been formed by col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye. He [Besigye] had run on the same pressure group and lost the presidential seat. During that time parliamentary and presidential elections were held on different days unlike the current ones which are held on the same day.
There was a lot of tension in kanungu and Rukungiri districts and the late tycoon had a lot of money to facilitate elections however by that time, Minister Amama mbabazi had no money but had state power. At that time there was a solider attached to presidential protection unit.(ppu); capt. Ndahura who was terrorizing supporters of Besigye including the late tycoon Garuga.
Late tycoon Garuga was arrested on easter day 2002 in kanungu and taken to kanyantorogo updf detach and the wife of the late tycoon dr. peace Garuga looked for the contacts of journalists and landed on mine and called me around 6:40pm in the evening. She broke the news to me that her husband had been arrested and was worried that he would either been harmed or killed. She was shaking during the call.
I also became worried and contacted his friend at voice of kigezi; the late Bisigwaho Onesmus. There was no any radio station in kanungu and were only depending on voice of kigezi. It was one year since daily monitor had deployed me in Rukunngiri to work for daily monitor and kfm.
The late Bisigwaho picked me and was supposed to anchor news at 7pm on that day in Runyankole rukiga. He asked me how true the story was and I told him that the wife Dr.peace garuga had called me and confirmed that her husband was being held at Kanyantorogo updf army detach.
The late Bisgwaho onesmus prepared a story and aired it at 7pm, all the supporters of the late Garuga learnt that he was held at army detach. I also called kfm editors and told them what was happening and advised them to interview me and they aired my interview on kfm at 8pm English news.
Garuga was released un hurt mainly because of the media drumming that I made, the following day daily monitor carried a story authored by Wilber Muhweezi kasiibante and Julius mucunguzi now the spokes person of the electoral commission of Uganda.
I went to kampala after that and kfm offered to interview the late Garuga about what happened exactly and how he survived the supposed murder. Charlse mwangustya mpagi who was then a reportrer at kfm asked me the secret phone number for the late Garuga and he called him; made a live interview on kfm studios.
Voting took place for member of parliament and Rt hon mbabazi won controversially. Then late Garuga went to mbarara high court and challenged mbabazi’s win. he hired high level law firms and won the election petition and was awarded over 300million. Rt hon mbabazi never appealed and they offered to repeat the election but the late Garuga refused to participate again because of militarizing the elections.
By the time of passing away of the late tycoon Garuga was a close friend of Rt. Hon Amama mbabazi and they reconciled shortly after the election petition.
The late Garuga kept remembering what I did for him together with his family. He met me at the beginning of this year 2025 at the graduation ceremony of valley university where he has been serving as a chancellor and gave me an appointment to meet him in kampala and give me a gift for saving his life. He fell sick shortly after meeting me in valley university and passed away before we met.
May his soul rest in internal peace. And i will attend his burial on Monday 11th august 2025 in Rugyeyo kanungu district.