President Yoweri Museveni marked his 79th birthday with a poignant celebration, reflecting on the historical resonance of September in his life and the nation’s tumultuous past.
Addressing a gathering at the Kololo Independence grounds, Museveni paid tribute to two pivotal events that have left an indelible mark on his journey.
“There are two Septembers which are very important in our struggle,” President Museveni began, his voice laden with reminiscence. “One was on 17th, 1972 when I had turned 28 years of age and we attacked Mbarara from Tanzania. It was, however, a bad September because we planned the attack badly and we lost a lot of people.”
The assembled crowd listened in rapt attention, mindful of the weight of history woven into the president’s words.
The event, organized by a dedicated group of youths led by National Coordinator Hadijah Uzeiye Namyalo, also sought to honor the valiant NRA fighters who played a pivotal role in the Battle of Katonga.
Museveni’s gaze turned back to 1985, another September etched in his memory. “I am glad you agreed to combine my 79 years of life with our struggle and, in this case, events of Katonga. I want to thank all those who participated in the Katonga battles and battles before.”
The president lamented the unnecessary turmoil that Uganda endured before the NRA’s triumph in 1986, emphasizing that peaceful negotiations could have been the path to resolution.
“Ugandans should know those wars were totally unnecessary. We could have had total peace but some people decided to go for sectarianism. The suffering we went through could have been avoided. We could have negotiated and solved these issues without shedding blood but others didn’t want to listen to us and didn’t want democracy. That’s why we had to fight until we got victory,” Museveni asserted, reflecting on the tumultuous history since the nation’s independence in 1962.
The chronicles of Uganda’s struggle for stability and democracy were recollected, from the tumultuous reigns of Obote, Amin, and Okello, to the eventual triumph of the National Resistance Army rebels led by Museveni in 1986.
In his closing remarks, Museveni reaffirmed his commitment to the ongoing war for socio-economic transformation and universal education.
“Everybody should join the money economy by engaging in commercial agriculture, services, industries, and ICT. That is the war we are on, to fight poverty from homesteads and the entire country.”
As the sun set over Kololo Independence grounds, the echoes of Museveni’s words lingered, a testament to the significance of September in the life of a nation and its leader.
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