The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja has lauded the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) for always remembering the support from the population over the years.
She said the support made it possible for a small guerilla force to transform into a formidable Liberation Force, whose achievements are a clear testimony that the struggle was not in vain.
“We pay special gratitude to the revolutionaries our strategic partners, and the civilian population for the great contribution during the years of the protracted struggle. We thank the UPDF and Ministry of Defence as a whole and as well as His Excellency and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF for having chosen to reflect on a journey of fighting for freedom, spanning fifty years and beyond,” said Nabbanja.
The Prime Minister made the remarks on Wednesday at the National Launch of the 43rd Tarehe Sita Anniversary Week that was held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters, Mbuya.
The 43rd Tarehe Sita Anniversary will be celebrated in Busoga Sub-region covering the districts of Jinja, Iganga, Luuka, Bugweri, Buyende, Namayingo, Bugiri, Mayuge, Kaliro, Namutumba and Kamuli.
She commended the UPDF for its participation in National Development Projects which is in line with its constitutional mandate.
She added that the participation of Engineers Brigade in the construction of infrastructure for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, shows the Force’s long strides in the direction of being a productive force.
The keynote speaker, former Prime Minister, Kintu Musoke gave tribute to the late Kirunda Kivejinja and said that the late Chairman of the Uganda Students Association in New Delhi introduced a simplified form of “The Marxist theory” of the endless class struggle of the haves and have-nots that Yoweri Museveni embraced as he launched the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA).
Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, said that the revolutionary heritage of the liberation struggle shall be exhibited in the National Military Museum which will be established at Katonga so that the current and future generations can fully understand and appreciate the socio-economic trajectory of Uganda.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen.Wilson Mbasu Mbadi said that Busoga Sub-region was chosen to host this year’s Defence Forces Week to Continue re-tracing the FRONASA circuit and recognize the earlier efforts in the fight against Idi Amin on the Mayuge front, such as Kityerera Forest Camp, Busesa, Kaluuba, and Musita Junction – Nankoma road memories of 1972 and the Holy Spirit Movement of Alice Lakwena.
“Commemorate the bloody clobbering that was received by Lakwena and forces in the Sub-region, bringing an end to her mystic-cultic outlaws,” said Mbadi.
He added, “Having entered the sub-region from Tororo through Buluguyi on the morning of 16 October 1987, and got infatuated with Magamaga, the Nile Bridge and Kampala, the enemy met a lethal combination of local volunteers and our force and never recovered from the pitched battles of Busedde, Luuka, and notably Namasiga, Bukaseme, and Nabulagala and from the final knock out in Naminyage (Namutumba) and Kigalagala on Saturday 24 October 1987,”
Present at the launch were: the Third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, Minister of State for Defence (Defence) Jackson Marksons Oboth, and Permanent Secretary MODVA Rosette Byengoma.
Others were; Deputy CDF Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, Commander UPDF – Air Forces Lt Gen Charles Okidi, Joint Chief of Staff Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, Service Chiefs, Members of Parliament from Busoga sub-region district leaders among others.
