David Musuguri

David Musuguri was born on 4 January 1920 in Butiama, Tanganyika.{{cite news| last = Mugini| first = Jacob| title = General Musuguri: Ex-CDF Chief Who Turns 100 Years Today| newspaper = Daily News| date = 4 January 2020| url = https://dailynews.co.tz/news/2020-01-045e103f065f6c7.aspx| access-date = 4 January 2020}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{efn|According to Thomas Molony, Musuguri was born on 4 January 1923.{{sfn|Molony|2014|p=239}}}} In 1938, he underwent bhakisero, a traditional rite of passage for Zanaki males involving the filing of the top incisors into triangular shapes.{{sfn|Molony|2014|p=239}}

On 9 August 1943, Musuguri enlisted in the King's African Rifles (KAR),{{cite news| last = Milanzi| first = Gaudence| title = GENERAL DAVID BUGOZI MUSUGURI: A great general, with a distinguished military career| newspaper = Daily News| date = November 1, 2024| url = https://dailynews.co.tz/general-david-bugozi-musuguri-a-great-general-with-a-distinguished-military-career/#google_vignette| access-date = January 30, 2025}} beginning as a private.{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=79}} He later served with the KAR in Madagascar.{{sfn|Molony|2014|p=213}} 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.{{cite news| title = General David Musuguri, Idi Amin's nemesis turns 100| newspaper = The Citizen| date = 4 January 2020| url = https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/General-David-Musuguri--Idi-Amin-s-nemesis-turns-100/1840386-5406850-wlfybe/index.html| access-date = 6 January 2020}} 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.{{sfn|Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny|1993|pp=19–20}} 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,{{sfn|Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny|1993|pp=20, 25}} and, in February 1962, Musuguri was promoted to lieutenant.{{sfn|Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny|1993|p=26}} 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.{{sfn|Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny|1993|p=101}} He studied military command and staffing in China from 1975 to 1976.

{{Quote box|width=246px|bgcolor=#c6dbf7|align=right|quote=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.|source=—Musuguri's reflection on the Uganda–Tanzania War}}

Though reportedly illiterate, Musuguri eventually rose to the rank of brigadier by 1978.{{cite news| title = Makamanda Walioongoza Vita ya Kagera| newspaper = Global Publishers| date = 3 January 2020| language = sw| url = https://globalpublishers.co.tz/makamanda-walioongoza-vita-ya-kagera/| access-date = 20 October 2020}} On 19 January 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.{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=79}}{{cite web| url = https://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Revisiting-the-Tanzania-Uganda-war-that-toppled-Amin/688342-2293306-110gxl9/index.html| title = Revisiting the Tanzania-Uganda war that toppled Amin| last = Lubega| first = Henry| date = 26 April 2014| website = Daily Monitor| access-date = 25 January 2019| archive-date = 24 January 2018| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180124160036/http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Revisiting-the-Tanzania-Uganda-war-that-toppled-Amin/688342-2293306-110gxl9/index.html| url-status = dead}} During the war, he garnered the nom de guerre "General Mutukula",{{sfn|Mzirai|1980|p=156}}{{efn|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.}} and successfully commanded his forces during the battles of Simba Hills,{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|pp=78–79}}{{sfn|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2015|p=29}} Masaka,{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=84}}{{sfn|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2015|pp=30–31}} and Lukaya,{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=91}}{{sfn|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2015|p=33}} as well as Operation Dada Idi.{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=94}} 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.{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|p=xi}} Several Ugandans later reported that he made efforts to instill discipline in his forces operating in their country and was polite to local civilians.{{cite web| url = https://ugandaradionetwork.net/story/masaka-senior-citizens-remember-general-musunguri-| title = Masaka Senior Citizens Remember General Musunguri| last = Ssekweyama | first = Ezekiel| date = 2 November 2024| publisher = Uganda Radio Network| access-date = 30 January 2025}}

In early November 1980, Musuguri was appointed Chief of the TPDF. He returned to Tanzania the following week to take up his new post.{{cite news| title = General Musuguri to Tanzania| newspaper = Sub-Saharan Africa Report| publisher = Foreign Broadcast Information Service| date = 1980| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=zFdEAQAAIAAJ}} On 30 December, President Julius Nyerere promoted him to lieutenant general.{{cite news| title = Tanzania : Senior Officers Promoted| newspaper = Africa Research Bulletin| page = 5910| date = 1980| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=DHsEAQAAIAAJ}} On 7 February 1981, Ugandan President Milton Obote gave Musuguri two spears in honor of "his gallant action in the Battle of Lukaya".{{cite news| title = Ugandan honour for Tanzanian COS| newspaper = Summary of World Broadcasts: Non-Arab Africa| issue = 6612–6661| date = 1981| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=1uwzAAAAIAAJ|oclc= 378680447}} During his tenure, he was accused of encouraging ethnic favoritism in the armed forces. 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.{{sfn|Avirgan|Honey|1983|pp=231–232}} His retirement was announced on 31 August 1988,{{cite news| title = Tanzania : New Defence Chief| newspaper = Africa Research Bulletin| page = 9014| volume = 25| date = 1988| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-2IOAQAAMAAJ}} effective the following day.

Following his retirement, Musuguri returned to Butiama.{{sfn|Molony|2014|p=213}} In 2002, he endorsed the creation of an East African federation between Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.{{cite web| url = https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1083080/tanzania-calls-federation| title = Tanzania general calls for federation| date = 11 April 2002| website = New Vision| access-date = 1 January 2019}} In 2014, he was awarded the Order of the Union Third Class by President Jakaya Kikwete.{{cite news|date=27 April 2014 |title=President honours 86 for selfless service |url=http://dailynews.co.tz/archive/index.php/local-news/30801-president-honours-86-for-selfless-service |newspaper=Daily News |location=Dar es Salaam |access-date=20 May 2019|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722232903/http://dailynews.co.tz/archive/index.php/local-news/30801-president-honours-86-for-selfless-service |archive-date=22 July 2015}} Musuguri turned 100 on 4 January 2020, and died in Mwanza on 29 October 2024, at the age of 104.{{cite news |last1=Takwa |first1=Esther |title=General Musuguri dies at 104 |url=https://dailynews.co.tz/general-musuguri-dies-at-104/ |access-date=29 October 2024 |newspaper=Daily News |date=29 October 2024}} He was buried in a funeral in Butiama on November 4.{{cite news

| last = Kumkana| first = Sophia| title = Befitting burial for Musuguri| newspaper = Daily News| date = November 5, 2024| url = https://dailynews.co.tz/befitting-burial-for-musuguri/|access-date = January 30, 2025}}

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• {{cite book| last1 = Avirgan| first1 = Tony| last2 = Honey| first2 = Martha| title = War in Uganda: The Legacy of Idi Amin| location= Dar es Salaam|publisher = Tanzania Publishing House| date = 1983| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=OM9AAAAAYAAJ| isbn = 978-9976-1-0056-3}}
• {{cite book |last1 = Cooper |first1 = Tom |last2 = Fontanellaz |first2 = Adrien |title= Wars and Insurgencies of Uganda 1971–1994 |date= 2015 |publisher= Helion & Company Limited |location= Solihull |isbn= 978-1-910294-55-0 }}
• {{cite book| last = Molony| first = Thomas| title = Nyerere: The Early Years| publisher = Boydell & Brewer Ltd| date = 2014| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qDE3BAAAQBAJ

| isbn = 9781847010902}}

• {{cite book| last = Mzirai| first = Baldwin| title = Kuzama kwa Idi Amin| publisher = Publicity International| date = 1980| location = Dar es Salaam| language = sw| oclc = 9084117}}
• {{cite book| title = Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny: January 1964| publisher = Dar es Salaam University Press| date = 1993| isbn = 9789976601879| ref = {{harvid|Tanganyika Rifles Mutiny|1993}}}}

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{{s-bef|before=Abdallah Twalipo}}

{{s-ttl|title=Chief of Tanzanian People's Defence Force|years=1980-1988}}

{{s-aft|after=Ernest Kiaro}}

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Category:1920 births

Category:2024 deaths

Category:Tanzanian generals

Category:Military personnel of the Uganda–Tanzania War

Category:Tanzanian men centenarians

Category:British Army personnel of World War II

Category:Expatriates in Madagascar

Category:People from Mara Region