Combatants: A memoir of the Bush War and the press in Uganda

by William Pike

This book is an important historical document that reminds us of how much Uganda has changed in the last 30 years and how violent it once was. William Pike’s first visit to the Luwero Triangle was a turning point in the Bush War as it revealed the growing strength of the NRA to the world for the first time. The book also reflects the difficulties of rebuilding a deeply damaged country through the prism of his early years as Editor-in-chief at the New Vision newspaper. The book concludes with his reflections on his departure from the New Vision and on the Ugandan revolution.

Genres: Uganda, Tanzania

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 2019

Reviews

[Erik Champenois · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice and very readable review of the NRM's revolution, covering Uganda's history from the mid-1980's to the early 1990's. My main criticism is its (not overtly heavy, but still clearly present) bias in favor of the revolution and the regime. A good snapshot of the early years of the Museveni regime.

[grace nassaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Passes as an NRM apologist.

This book over glorified the NRM and doesn't bring out the atrocities committed by the government including the reducing political space in Uganda.

[Bunza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dense, information-heavy memoir by the Tanzania-born, Anglo-Ugandan journalist and editor. The first hand account of the bush war in the Luwero Triangle and interviews and encounters with future Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame of Rwanda are fascinating. This book does a good job of covering the period in Ugandan history after Idi Amin. It does not focus on the war in the north, but it does offer interesting context and insights into the chaotic situation that the NRM inherited when they took power and how it relates to the rebellions of Joseph Kony and Alice Lakwena, among others. The parts of the book about Rwandan refugees and military officers in Uganda just before the Rwandan genocide are uniquely interesting, and may be of specific interest to readers who already know something about the subject and are interested in a different perspective on the lead up to the genocide. The Ugandan military intervention in D.R. Congo is barely mentioned, and there is nothing about gay rights.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great analysis of the civil war in Uganda told from the perspective of a journalist's perspective. I liked the way the book captured lots of minute details about what was going on, before zooming out and presenting the conflict at a macro scale, contextualizing the key points and telling the story of the conflict from the writer's perspective. The book somewhat glazed over a lot of the problems that Uganda went through after the NRM victory, but it's not a history book after all. A good read, considering how little of this is taught in Kenyan schools, which is strange considering that the two countries neighbour each other.

[Mugizi Niwo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book told by a semi-outsider at the turn of the NRM revolution in Uganda 1986-91. He keeps the original language of hope from 1991 to give the idea of the mood in Uganda at that time. And it works so well. I liked it as an eye-opener of NRM's less checkered past, an insight into the younger, energetic M7 and the smart characters surrounding him who did start out as headstrong idealists and yet have have now lost that shine in the too-long hold on Uganda.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an in-depth view from one very particular vantage point, but it really gave me a sense of the Bush War period and beginning of NRM's Uganda in a new way. As a historical document I found it quite interesting and packed with detail. I'm glad I read this!

[Tommie Hooft Van Huysduynen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for those interested in the history of Uganda.

[Richie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My take

Probably the most objective tale of the Ugandan bush war by far. Elaborate and in many ways brutally honest about how the story unfolded. More credibility is added to the fact that William Pike was a sympathiser of the NRA struggle but didn't actively participate in it other than reporting about it in Western media. His recollections are grounded in-depth and quite objective as an outsider reporting on the inside stories

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this personal insight into the NRA victory in Uganda and the rise of President Museveni. Pike makes no apologies for his enthusiasm for the NRA and his close association with many of its leaders but gives candid insights into the trajectory of Museveni's rise to power.