Prime
New ‘Sowing The Mustard Seed’ to clear errors - Museveni
President Museveni unveils the second edition of his book, Sowing The Mustard Seed at Kampala Serena Hotel in 2016. PHOTO/FILE/STEPHEN OTAGE
Kampala- President Museveni has said he was forced to revise his book, Sowing The Mustard Seed, to clear some distortions and errors about the 1981-85 Bush War, the main subject of the book.
Published in 1997, the first edition of Sowing the Mustard Seed, was largely based on an interview Mr Museveni gave to Dr Shillington, a British publisher at the end of the Bush War in 1986 which was later transcribed with the help of State House.
Mr Museveni said he was also inspired into writing his own story after a 2013 meeting with Gen Martin Dempsey, the US chairman of Joint Chief of Staff.
“When I came back I decided to write the book and see if a new person would get the message. I didn’t want any mix-up and deviation. This time, I said I must write it myself because when they edit, they destroy,” said Mr Museveni.
In the book, Mr Museveni talks about his childhood, education and family, his early involvement in politics and comrades he fought with and those that he worked with in the early days of the NRA struggle.
Mr Museveni, who led the Bush War, said some people he did not mention have been telling lies about the five-year war.
Maj (rtd) John Kazoora’s Betrayed By My Leader and Maj Gen Pecos Kutesa’s Uganda’s Revolution: 1979-1986 How I Saw It-offer some of the other first-hand accounts of the Luweero war.
Journalist Daniel Kalinaki’s Kizza Besigye and Uganda’s Unfinished Revolution also draws on happenings during the war.
Maj Kazoora’s book was particularly critical of the regime, accusing Mr Museveni of betraying the ideals that inspired the Bush War.
“I have been hearing all sorts of stories but the right story is here (in the new edition).
This book is a resistance book. It’s a resistance of destroyers of the English language and the Runyankole words I used,” Mr Museveni said.
Mr Museveni said the manner in which the first edition was written assumed the readers would understand the story based on the context in which it was presented.
“I had to make sure the substance is clear and unambiguous and thereis no reason why people don’t have a clear story. If you don’t tie the story properly, how will it be appealing to the consumers?” Mr Museveni asked.
The Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, who spoke on behalf of the NRA historicals, described Mr Museveni as “an immensely humble and patient man” who cares about his comrades and open to divergent views.
