Who is Col. Muzoora?

By Risdel Kasasira  (email the author)

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Posted  Monday, May 30 2011 at 00:00

Kampala

Col. Edison Muzoora was born in Kyabugimbi, Bushenyi District, in 1958. Little is known about his education background, but a close family friend said he attended his primary and secondary education in Kyabugimbi. He joined Uganda National Liberation Army in 1979 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1984. He joined the National Resistance Army in 1985 and was deployed to Nakasongola Military barracks as an instructor to Commandos.

In 1993 he was transferred to Gulu as the Battalion commander before he was promoted to the rank of Major and given a new role to command 503 Brigade at Pajimo in Kitgum District. In 1997, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and transferred to Mbuya as the First Division Commander. He was sent to DR Congo in 1998 as the sector commander based in Kisangani. While in Kisangani, he developed a poor working relationship with then UPDF chief of staff, late Maj. Gen. James Kazini, and he was transferred from Kisangani to Basunkusu as the sector commander.

The reason for his transfer from Kisangani, according to sources, was because he was opposed to fighting the Rwandan forces. Those close to him in UPDF, say he was a versatile officer, who combined both gentility and fearlessness at the front line. It is this reason that he was always deployed in war zones.

From Basankusu, he was transferred to Bunia as the sector commander from where he was recalled home in 2002 and was replaced by Col. Fred Ssegamwenge. He was undeployed until January 2003 when he deserted the army and allegedly joined the reneged Colonels Samson Mande and Anthony Kyakabale to form the shadowy Peoples’ Redemption Army, allegedly based in DR Congo to fight the Ugandan government.

In 2006, there were rumour that he had died in a hospital in Kigali but the Rwandan government said the rumours were intended to antagonse the cordial relation between Uganda and Rwanda.