A brief history about our hero.
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Mathias Ngobi, was one of the veteran politicians from Busoga. One of the original students of Busoga college Mwiri. He was in the same class with Milton Obote, Asavia Wandera, Eriab Muzira, Cyprian Bamwoze, Yoweri Kyesimira and others. After university, he joined Busoga administration and it was from here that he joined politics. At the time, religion played a very big role in politics, Ngobi was the only catholic upc member from that area. In 1961, Ben Kiwanuka as chief minister, travelled to the US and managed to secure 300 university scholarships. He set up a national committee to award these scholarships. Mathias Ngobi represented upc on that committee. Some of the beneficiaries included, the late lawyer Kirenga, justice Mulenga and many others. In 1962, Mathias Ngobi stood in Busoga south and won the election becoming the upc minister of agriculture. Him, Felix Onama from west nile, and Kalule Settala who was in a classroom teaching economics at Namiryango college only to be announced a minister, were the only catholics in Obotes first cabinet.
By 1963, it was clear that obote was not only a dictator, but could not manage the country. According to Mathias Ngobi, obote created division within the cabinet begining with the presidential elections and then the lost counties. He could not be advised and he could not change his stand on many things. Due to the divisions, he discampaigned kakonge the upc secretary general and had him replaced by Grace Ibingira. By 1964, upc members had realized that obote was not taking them anywhere and they started to find ways of replacing him with vice president William Wilberforce Nadiope. They planned to remove obote at the next delegates conference.
To make the numbers, they convinced Buganda KY mps to join UPC thus automatically become delegates. Some DPs were also convinced and 21 of them crossed to UPC. As they were still planning, a golden chance of the congo gold scandal came up. This is gold and ivory believed to having been stolen from congo by Amin, defense minister Onama and prime minister Obote. According to Mathias Ngobi, this was a very good opportunity to get lid of Obote. Six ministers met to plot for action. At the time, obote had left for the north to cool off the pressure. The six ministers and a number of MPs agreed to pass a vote of no confidence, first in the cabinet which was to sit the next morning of 22nd February 1966. In the afternoon , the cabinet decision was to be taken to parliament for endorsement and party vice president Nadiope was to be sworn in as acting president. Their meeting ended at around 10:00 pm. One of the ministers a Muganda of Rwandese origin tried to contact obote, but he failed to trace him. He decided to drive to the north, meeting Obote in Eastern uganda at 5:00 am.
After a briefing, the two rushed to kampala. The next morning, as cabinet was about to start, obote arrived with special force. Mathias Ngobi, Dr. Lumu, Baraki Kirya, Grace Ibingira and Magezi were immediately picked out and imprisoned. Cabinet did not sit so was parliament. The rest is history. Mathias Ngobi and colegues , were released from prison on 27th January 1971 together with Ben kiwanuka, Paul Semwogerere, William Wilberforce Nadiope, and other political prisoners by Idi Amin after the military take over. Mathias Ngobi returned to his Namulesa home. In 1972, after the Tanzanian invasion, many people were killed by the Amin regime. Ben kiwanuka, Joseph Mubiru, Frank karimuzo, Shaban Nkutu, Fr. Clement Kiggundu and others, Ngobi decided to go to Nairobi and later to America. During the 1979 moshi conference, Ngabi represented a fighting force called Uganda Democratic Movement. It had members like Martin Aliker, Paul Semwogerere, Andrew Kayiira and others. At the fall of Amin, Ngobi was appointed minister of agriculture by Yufuf Lule, an office he occupied even during Binaisa days. He was dropped by Paul Muwanga. During the 1980 elections, he joined DP becoming the party treasurer general. He did not stand for MP as he was defeated at the primaries by Dr. Eriab Muzira. After elections, he went back to exile and returned in 1987 and was appointed chairman of Makerere university and presidential advisor by president Museveni. From there he retired to his village home in Namulesa off Jinja Kamuli road.
Mathias Ngobi was a very committed catholic who worked and lived the teaching of the Catholic church. He was knighted by the pope. His wife was a member of our lady of Fatima parish choir for many years. She passed on years back. May he rest in peace ( This is a brief of what he told me about six years ago at his Namulesa home)
