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Chris Rwankasisi: From Death Row to Redemption

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Chris Rwankasisi: From Death Row to Redemption
Chris Rwakasisi has in the past likened his pardon to a message from God through President Museveni

Speaking to him today, as he serves as a Presidential Advisor for Special Duties, Rwankasisi recounts of refusing to plead for mercy, believing it would amount to admitting guilt for crimes he did not commit.

Chris Rwankasisi, former Security Minister under President Milton Obote's regime, endured 24 years on death row in Luzira Prison, accused of crimes he insists he never committed.

His journey from despair to redemption, which saw him later praise the man he once hated, is a remarkable tale of resilience, defiance, and faith.

Arrested during Tito Okello Lutwa's 1985 coup, Rwankasisi faced fresh charges after Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) overthrew Lutwa in 1986.

In 1988, he was sentenced to death on six counts of kidnap. What followed was over two decades of waiting for the gallows until his unexpected pardon in January 2009.

Speaking to him today, as he serves as a Presidential Advisor for Special Duties, Rwankasisi vividly recounts his ordeal. From the beginning, he refused to plead for mercy, believing it would amount to admitting guilt for crimes he did not commit.

"In court, during the mitigation stage, they ask why you should be pardoned," he recalled.

"Some people plead about having children, sick wives, or being breadwinners. I refused. I told myself I would rather hang than condemn myself."

His defiance shocked even his lawyers, who pleaded with his family to change his mind. When required to appeal to the president for clemency, Rwankasisi remained steadfast.

"I wrote: 'Give me the justice the courts denied me,' and I signed it, Chris Rwankasisi," he said.

Life on death row was a harrowing experience, marked by the routine executions of fellow inmates.

"Many times, they came for others in my cell. You’d hear them being read their charges before being taken away. I waited for my turn, one day at a time."

Rwankasisi's imprisonment became even grimmer when he was abruptly placed in isolation, an order he says came "from above."

"Isolation is a terrible place. You see no one, hear no one, and talk to no one. I began questioning God’s mercy and justice, even hating myself," he said.

"I told God, 'You know I’m innocent, so why this?'"

It was during this period of despair that he stumbled upon a Good News Bible left by a previous inmate.

Initially uninterested, he used it as a pillow, but eventually, loneliness drove him to start reading.

"I read it from Genesis to Revelation. My eyes were on the words, but my mind was elsewhere. By the third reading, everything started to make sense," he shared.

He vividly recalls a spiritual visitation during this time.

"A man appeared and said, 'Chris, fear not. No one is going to kill you. In three days, you’ll leave this place.' And though it took six months, I was eventually allowed out of isolation and reunited with others."

Despite the death sentence still looming, Rwankasisi felt a deep conviction that he would survive.

"After I got saved, I felt an inner assurance that President Museveni would not hang me. Only God could have interceded because our hate for each other was public and intense."

Forgiven

He referenced Museveni’s own words during a 1998 address in Kasese:

"The President said, ‘I forgive like I forgave Rwankasisi,’ and admitted that he tried to sign my death warrant three times but couldn’t."

On January 20, 2009, Rwankasisi's life took an unexpected turn.

"An officer called me to the OC’s office, handed me a chair—which prisoners never sit on—and showed me a document. It was my unconditional release."

Soon after, Rwankasisi received a phone call from President Museveni, inviting him for a meeting.

"I went to Nakasero. The president greeted me in Runyankore: 'Kijje buhoro' (How are you?). It was surreal."

Today, Rwankasisi keeps a newspaper clipping recounting his release as a reminder of the miracle he attributes solely to God.

His story stands as a testament to the power of faith, the resilience of the human spirit, and the possibility of redemption even in the darkest of times.

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