By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Col Ahmed Kashilingi one of the greatest fighters of National Resistance Army (NRA) has passed on.
According to family sources, Kashilingi died Wednesday night after a short illness.
Hailing from Rubabo in Rukungiri District, Col. Ahmed Kashilingi, RO 040, who joined the NRA bush-war in 1981 was one of the senior commanders who captured Kampala in 1986.
Alongside Mugisha Muntu, Joram Mugume, Ivan Koreta, Jim Muhwezi, Kahinda Otafiire, Steven Kashaka, Pecos Kuteesa, Julius Chihandae and Peter Kerim; he is listed in the UPDF Act as one of the 15 senior officers as at January 1986. Others are; Fred Mwesigye, Andrew Lutaaya, Gyagenda Kibirango, Samson Mande and Amin Izaruk.
Having joined the army when Museveni was still a student at Dar es Salaam University, Kashilingi was one of the few highly trained soldiers that the NRA had in its ranks. The other was Brig. Tadeo Kanyankore who had also joined the army shortly after independence.
Veterans say that if their leadership was picking commanders strictly on merit, the two above should have been the top commanders in the early stages of the war. RIP
