President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has expressed gratitude that Uganda is now united and peaceful.
“I’m glad that Uganda is now united and peaceful and we are able to build national institutions. You have seen that when we are recruiting in the army, we recruit in the whole country on an equal basis. There’s a quota for every district,” he said.
The President made the remarks today while officiating at the Peace Day celebrations in Yumbe District.
The event ran under the theme: “23 years of Peace and Progress: uniting West Nile for Socio-Economic Transformation”.
The celebrations highlighted the success achieved from the peace agreement signed on December 24, 2002, between the Government of Uganda and the Uganda National Rescue Front II (UNRF II) in the West Nile.
President Museveni also revealed that Uganda has been able to be peaceful and develop because of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government’s policy of opposing wrong and supporting what is right.
“Now because of that, this is the progress that you see. Some of the people may think we have not been able to address their problems; like the former combatants, we have taken time before addressing all their issues but this is not that we don’t want to, it is because of what must be done immediately in order to remain standing up but we shall address the issues of the ex-combatants,” the President said.
“We had to first of all maintain peace because how will you handle the issues of the combatants without peace, social services and infrastructural development?” he added.
President Museveni further noted that for the last 60 years of independence, the NRM which started as a student movement has never let down Ugandans, explaining that the party has always been a mass party that works towards transforming the whole country.
“In 1962, we did not support UPC because of the mistake they made on Buganda. They misled Buganda to go for federal which was a very complicated system and at that time, we were with Kiwanuka who although was a muganda, he advised against federal but UPC misled Buganda to go for federal which was not manageable and in no time UPC was fighting Kabaka Yekka because of that same issue,” he said.
“In 1966, we did not agree with Obote because of the way he handled that problem he created himself. We started working a bit with Obote because we were looking at the East African Federation but when Amin came to power we didn’t support him because we could see that he did not understand our vision of a United Uganda and a Federation of East Africa.”
Additionally, President Museveni explained that the NRM does not believe in the spirit of revenge that’s why they live in harmony with ex-combatants and their people.
“In 1979, although we were fighting against Amin, we were not fighting against the people of West Nile. We told our soldiers that the people of West Nile are not a problem, the mistakes are made by a few people- some leaders. When we took over power, I told the people of West Nile who had fled to Sudan to come back because the NRM was not going to target them and when they came back you saw nothing happened to them,” he said.
“Meanwhile in Acholi and Lango, we also rejected the policy of revenge. We didn’t agree with the targeting of the people of Lango because of Obote or the targeting of Acholi because of Bazilio or Tito Okello. It is that policy of opposing wrong and supporting right that Gen. Moses Ali was talking about in his speech now. We never even persecuted the UPC, we gave them the Uganda House although that house had been built with government money because when Obote collapsed, Uganda House was at foundation level. Amin used government money to build the whole building.”
President Museveni also thanked Gen. Salim Saleh and Gen. Bamuze for negotiating the peace agreement that has led to peace and development in the region.
On the other hand, the President pledged a phased payment of Shs26 billion to West Nile ex-combatants before handing over Shs1 billion to the group for the start.
He also unveiled a monument honouring former rebel leaders who signed a peace agreement with the government, marking the end of war 23 years ago and beginning of peace in the West Nile Region.
Furthermore, President Museveni implored the people of West Nile to embrace government poverty alleviation programs like the Parish Development Model to improve their livelihoods by joining the money economy.
The 2nd Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali informed the President that the UNRF lost 513 combatants in action during the struggle and more that 60 percent of the ex-combatants who survived the armed struggle have since died, leaving behind orphans, widows and dependents.
“It’s with great joy that we therefore appreciate this gesture as you launch the payment to the ex-combatants of the UNRF,” he said.
“Your Excellency, on behalf of the people of the West Nile, I would like to thank you for the strong and decisive leadership and as a result of your leadership, our country is on the right course.”
The Minister of State for Veteran Affairs, Hon. Huda Oleru thanked President Museveni for his strategic vision and foresight that led to the signing of the peace agreement ,thus leading to the pacification of the West Nile Region.
“In this regard, I wish to thank the leadership and the membership of the former UNRF led by Gen. Moses Ali for the commitment to the cause of National peace and security,” she said.
“I also thank the political leaders of West Nile for supporting and spearheading our government programs for socio-economic transformation of the region.”
The former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen. Kale Kayihura, who played an important role in the realization of the peace agreement, thanked the organizing committee for remembering him for his contribution towards the peace process in West Nile.
“It is very exciting to see this transformation after the peace process,” he said.
The former Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Zoe Bakoko Bakoru thanked the former rebel leaders who decided to end the war and sign an agreement that showed a path of unity, development, and reconciliation for the West Nile Region.
“Today we are not merely remembering a date, we are reflecting on what has happened ever since. We are celebrating a triumph of spirit, we are honouring the courage it took to stop fighting and the sacrifice it took to forgive and move forward together,” she said.
She also expressed her deep gratitude to President Museveni for being a peace-maker.
“Your steady leadership and commitment to inclusive dialogue and your willingness to listen is what paved the way for this historic peace accord signed here in Yumbe in 2002. That peace deal brought together the Uganda National Rescue Front II and the government of Uganda to sign a lasting peace agreement.”
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