Seeds of the Revolution: Children of NRA Veterans Chart a New Future

By Dennis Katungi

On Sunday, August 31, 2025, I attended the inaugural thanksgiving service of Mbegu za Mapinduzi (Seeds of the Revolution) at Covenant Nations Church, Ntinda, hosted by their Patron, Gen. Sam Kavuma. The fully registered association brings together sons and daughters of NRA/UPDF soldiers, while also welcoming like-minded well-wishers recommended by members.

The idea of the association, founded in 2020, was inspired by the Africa Kwetu Trek—when President Yoweri Museveni retraced the steps of the NRA struggle in the jungles of Luwero. MZM is composed largely of children of both deceased and living soldiers of the NRA/UPDF. Nearly 80 percent of its members lost their parents either in the bush war or in the years that followed the capture of state power in 1986.

During the thanksgiving, members expressed gratitude for the progress made since their formation. They outlined their five-year strategic objectives centered on service to the nation, improving member welfare, and building capacity alongside the UPDF. Guided by the motto “Preservation of Legacy,” they pledged to honor the heritage of the NRA/UPDF while contributing to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.

The association’s objectives include preserving the legacy of the NRA/UPDF, promoting socio-economic and business ventures for members, creating wealth through innovation, and partnering with government institutions for mentorship, resource mobilization, and unity.

Quoting Frantz Fanon’s words that “Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it,” I was reminded of how fitting MZM’s mission is. Outgoing Chairperson Winnie Lokech, daughter of the late Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech, emphasized that MZM is focused and determined. She handed over leadership to Edith Tushabe Atuhurira, Commercial Manager at Uganda National Oil Company, who aims to grow the Mbegu SACCO into a robust loans and business-support institution to uplift member welfare.

Most members of MZM are professionals with the education and opportunities their parents fought to secure. They are determined to carry forward the revolutionary legacy not through battles, but through innovation, entrepreneurship, and national development.

The broader challenge before them is clear. Unlike their parents, who relied on grit and resilience to win a war, this generation must compete in science and technology—through patents, artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, quantum computing, and innovation. As I reflected on conversations in intellectual forums, I was struck by the realization that the future will not reward superstition, but science. Poverty in Africa is not a curse, but a symptom of poor planning, ignorance, and corruption.

Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials and instead add value. MZM’s work already reflects this shift, with projects like the COVID-19 Tracer App, monthly medical camps, legal advisory services, and value addition in products such as Mbegu Shea Butter and Mbegu Coffee, which have reached international markets. Their SACCO is a strong step toward financial independence and collective growth.

Their seven clusters—Agro, ICT, Works & Engineering, Enterprise, Media, Legal, and Health—are designed to empower members to innovate and preserve the legacy of their parents. The call is to reverse the export of raw materials, process Uganda’s coffee, refine its oil, and harness minerals for technology.

The task is ambitious but not impossible. As history shows, their parents went to the bush with only 27 guns and transformed Uganda within five years. MZM’s mission is different, but it is equally achievable. Aluta continua.