Museveni announces successful coup

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 26

Museveni announces successful coup

NZPA-Reuter Kampala Life in Kampala is expected to start returning to normal today after a two-day offensive by the National Resistance Army ended in the overthrow of Uganda’s military Government.

Hundreds of soldiers were killed in fierce street fighting and civilians who ventured out found the streets littered with bodies. Officials of the resistance army said arrangements were being made to collect and identify them. Many parts of Kampala were without power and water and workers were trying to restore services. The guerrilla leader, Yoweeri Museveni, announced on Radio Uganda that he had dissolved the military council and

would soon announce a broad-based Government.

Other leaders said they had captured all key installations in the city, including the radio station, the post office, the Parliament building and Government offices.

No news has been given of the former head of state, Tito Okello, since Saturday when he landed at the Kenyan border town of Busia in a military helicopter and met Kenyan officials briefly before returning to Uganda. He was reported to be based at Jinja, 80km east of Kampala. Most of the Government troops who fought the National Resistance Army in Kampala withdrew towards Jinja, but army officials say they believe the troops

have left the town.

According to radio messages monitored in Nairobi, undisciplined Government soldiers looted United Nations food stores in Moroto in north-east Uganda. Ten United Nations officials were hurriedly evacuated to neighbouring Kenya from a bush airstrip.

The United Nations officials said Karamojong tribesmen, renowned for their ferocity, were manning road blocks in northeast Uganda to prevent more of the fleeing soldiers from entering the area.

Kampala has had no telephone service for several days and the only communication with outside has been via diplomatic radio links.