President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commended Office of the National Chairman (ONC) Manager Hajjat Hadijjah Namyalo and the group of youth known as “Bazzukulu ba Museveni” for honoring him and the Katonga war veterans that fought with him to liberate Uganda during the struggle In 1985.
”Thank you very much for celebrating my birthday. Thank you very much for remembering the fighters that fought with me especially those of September 1972 and September 1985 but without forgetting all the others” President Museveni said during Katonga Spirit celebrations held on Friday at Kololo Independence grounds.
Museveni further noted that apart from being his birth month, September is a very special month with two other events that made Uganda’s history.
“There are two Septembers which are very important in our struggle. One was on 17, 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. “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.” Museveni added.
Dubbed Katonga Spirit celebrations that coincided with Museveni’s 79th birthday was organized by the Bazzukulu led by Hajjat Namyalo at Kololo to honor and celebrate the NRA Katonga war veterans as well as Museveni’s achievements as he turns 79 years later this month.
Speaking to his fully charged audience Museveni said before they captured power in 1986, Uganda went through unnecessary wars that leaders could have avoided had they listened to what the people were telling them.
“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 said
The war saw Prime Minister, Apollo Milton Obote depose the first president of Uganda, Sir Edward Muteesa in 1966 and declared himself president, establishing a dictatorial regime with the UPC as the only official party.
Meanwhile, Obote was also overthrown by Idi Amin in 1971 as he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Singapore
Eight years later in 1979, Amin was also overthrown by Tanzanian troops and forces of the Uganda National Liberation Front and Obote returned to lead the country but was overthrown a second time by another coup d’état in 1985 led by Tito Okello.
Okello’s government didn’t last long after it was overthrown in 1986 by the National Resistance Army rebels led by Yoweri Museveni.
Museveni further noted that the country is stable, the war is on ensuring social economic transformation but also ensuring every child is educated.
“Everybody should join the money economy by engaging in commercial agriculture, services, industries and ICT. That is the war we on, to fight poverty from homesteads and the entire country.”
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