David Musuguri (original) (raw)

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Tanzanian military officer (1920–2024)

David Musuguri
Birth name David Bugozi Musuguri
Nickname(s) General Mutukula
Born (1920-01-04)4 January 1920Butiama, Tanganyika
Died 29 October 2024(2024-10-29) (aged 104)Mwanza, Tanzania
Allegiance Britain Tanganyika Tanzania
Service / branch King's African RiflesTanganyika RiflesTanzania People's Defence Force
Years of service 1942–1988
Rank Lieutenant general
Commands 20th Division TPDFTPDF
Battles / wars World War II Battle of Madagascar Uganda–Tanzania War Battle of Simba Hills Battle of Masaka Battle of Lukaya Operation Dada Idi

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 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]

In 1942, Musugiri enlisted in the King's African Rifles (KAR),[3] beginning as a private.[4] He later served with the KAR in Madagascar.[3] 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.[5] 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.[6] 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,[7] and, by 1962, Musuguri had been promoted to lieutenant.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10] In early 1979, he was promoted to major general 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][11] During the war, he garnered the nom de guerre "General Mutukula",[12] and successfully commanded his forces during the battles of Simba Hills,[13][14] Masaka,[15][16] and Lukaya,[17][18] as well as Operation Dada Idi.[19] 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.[20]

In early November 1980, Musuguri was appointed Chief of the TPDF. He returned to Tanzania the following week to take up his new post.[21] On 30 December, President Julius Nyerere promoted him to lieutenant general.[22] On 7 February 1981, Ugandan President Milton Obote gave Musuguri two spears in honor of "his gallant action in the Battle of Lukaya".[23] During his tenure, he was accused of encouraging ethnic favoritism in the armed forces.[24] 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.[25] His retirement was announced on 31 August 1988.[24]

Later life and death

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Following his retirement, Musuguri moved to Butiama.[1][3] In 2002, he endorsed the creation of an East African federation between Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.[26] In 2014, he was awarded the Order of the Union Third Class by President Jakaya Kikwete.[27] Musuguri turned 100 on 4 January 2020,[1] and died in Mwanza on 29 October 2024, at the age of 104.[28]

  1. ^ According to Thomas Molony, Musuguri was born on 4 January 1923.[2]

  2. ^ a b c d Mugini, Jacob (4 January 2020). "General Musuguri: Ex-CDF Chief Who Turns 100 Years Today". Daily News. Retrieved 4 January 2020.[_permanent dead link_‍]

  3. ^ a b Molony 2014, p. 239.

  4. ^ a b c Molony 2014, p. 213.

  5. ^ a b Avirgan & Honey 1983, p. 79.

  6. ^ "General David Musuguri, Idi Amin's nemesis turns 100". The Citizen. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

  7. ^ Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny 1993, pp. 19–20.

  8. ^ Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny 1993, pp. 20, 25.

  9. ^ Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny 1993, p. 26.

  10. ^ Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny 1993, p. 101.

  11. ^ "Makamanda Walioongoza Vita ya Kagera". Global Publishers (in Swahili). 3 January 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.

  12. ^ Lubega, Henry (26 April 2014). "Revisiting the Tanzania-Uganda war that toppled Amin". Daily Monitor. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.

  13. ^ Mzirai 1980, p. 156.

  14. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, pp. 78–79.

  15. ^ Cooper & Fontanellaz 2015, p. 29.

  16. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, p. 84.

  17. ^ Cooper & Fontanellaz 2015, pp. 30–31.

  18. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, p. 91.

  19. ^ Cooper & Fontanellaz 2015, p. 33.

  20. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, p. 94.

  21. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, p. xi.

  22. ^ "General Musuguri to Tanzania". Sub-Saharan Africa Report. Foreign Broadcast Information Service. 1980.

  23. ^ "Tanzania : Senior Officers Promoted". Africa Research Bulletin. 1980. p. 5910.

  24. ^ "Ugandan honour for Tanzanian COS". Summary of World Broadcasts: Non-Arab Africa. No. 6612–6661. 1981. OCLC 378680447.

  25. ^ a b "Tanzania : New Defence Chief". Africa Research Bulletin. Vol. 25. 1988. p. 9014.

  26. ^ Avirgan & Honey 1983, pp. 231–232.

  27. ^ "Tanzania general calls for federation". New Vision. 11 April 2002. Retrieved 1 January 2019.

  28. ^ "President honours 86 for selfless service". Daily News. Dar es Salaam. 27 April 2014. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2019.

  29. ^ Takwa, Esther (29 October 2024). "General Musuguri dies at 104". Daily News. Retrieved 29 October 2024.

Military offices
Preceded byAbdallah Twalipo Chief of Tanzanian People's Defence Force 1980-1988 Succeeded byErnest Kiaro