David Musuguri
Tanzanian military officer (1920–2024) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David Bugozi Musuguri (4 January 1920 – 29 October 2024) was a Tanzanian military officer who served as Chief of the Tanzania People's Defence Force from 1980 until 1988.
David Musuguri | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | David Bugozi Musuguri |
| Nickname(s) | General Mutukula |
| Born | 4 January 1920 Butiama, Tanganyika |
| Died | 29 October 2024 (aged 104) Mwanza, Tanzania |
| Allegiance | Britain Tanganyika Tanzania |
| Service | King's African Rifles Tanganyika Rifles Tanzania People's Defence Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1988 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general  |
| Commands | 20th Division TPDF TPDF |
| Battles / wars | |
Biography
Summarize
Perspective
Early life
David Musuguri was born on 4 January 1920 in Butiama, Tanganyika.[1][a] In 1938, he underwent bhakisero, a traditional rite of passage for Zanaki males involving the filing of the top incisors into triangular shapes.[2]
Military career
On 9 August 1943, Musugiri enlisted in the King's African Rifles (KAR),[3] beginning as a private.[4] He later served with the KAR in Madagascar.[5] By 1947 he was a sergeant and acted as an instructor at Kahawa Barracks in Nairobi, Kenya. While there he met future Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who was a pupil of his.[6] In 1957, the British administration introduced the rank of effendi into the KAR, which was awarded to high performing African non-commissioned officers and warrant officers (it was not a true officer classification). Musuguri was given the rank after undergoing a six month-long training course.[7][3] In December 1961, Tanganyika became a sovereign state and several units of the KAR was transferred to the newly formed Tanganyika Rifles. The rank of effendi was shortly thereafter abandoned,[8] and, in February 1962, Musuguri was promoted to lieutenant.[9][10] During the Tanganyika Rifles mutiny of January 1964, Musuguri was stationed in Tabora. Rebellious troops, attempting to remove and replace their British officers, declared him a major.[11] He studied military command and staffing in China from 1975 to 1976.[10]
I am proud that I participated in chasing Idi Amin Dada to Saudi Arabia where he sought for asylum. But I can assure you, there is no war that is good. War means killing.
—Musuguri's reflection on the Uganda–Tanzania War[1]
Though reportedly illiterate, Musuguri eventually rose to the rank of brigadier by 1978.[12] On 19 January 1979, he was promoted to major general[3] and given command of the Tanzanian People's Defence Force (TPDF)'s 20th Division, a force that had been assembled to invade Uganda following the outbreak of the Uganda–Tanzania War in 1978.[4][13] During the war, he garnered the nom de guerre "General Mutukula",[14][b] and successfully commanded his forces during the battles of Simba Hills,[15][16] Masaka,[17][18] and Lukaya,[19][20] as well as Operation Dada Idi.[21] Over the course of the conflict he took charge of over a dozen Ugandan orphans and oversaw their care until they could be turned over to relatives.[22] Several Ugandans later reported that he made efforts to instill discipline in his forces operating in their country and was polite to local civilians.[23]
In early November 1980, Musuguri was appointed Chief of the TPDF. He returned to Tanzania the following week to take up his new post.[24] On 30 December, President Julius Nyerere promoted him to lieutenant general.[25] On 7 February 1981, Ugandan President Milton Obote gave Musuguri two spears in honor of "his gallant action in the Battle of Lukaya".[26] During his tenure, he was accused of encouraging ethnic favoritism in the armed forces.[27] He was opposed to withdrawing Tanzanian troops from Uganda in 1981 on the grounds that the country had not yet built a reliable armed force, but Nyerere overruled him.[28] His retirement was announced on 31 August 1988,[27] effective the following day.[3]
Later life and death
Following his retirement, Musuguri returned to Butiama.[1][5] In 2002, he endorsed the creation of an East African federation between Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.[29] In 2014, he was awarded the Order of the Union Third Class by President Jakaya Kikwete.[30] Musuguri turned 100 on 4 January 2020,[1] and died in Mwanza on 29 October 2024, at the age of 104.[31] He was buried in a funeral in Butiama on November 4.[10]
Notes
- According to Thomas Molony, Musuguri was born on 4 January 1923.[2]
- According to TPDF Colonel Stephen Isaac Mtemihonda, this nickname was initially coined by Brigadier Mwita Marwa when he congratulated his superior for ordering a successful attack during the Battle of Mutukula after declaring the requisite codeword, "Mutukula", over the radio.[3]
Citations
References
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