

29 January 2025, 10:55 pm
By Ronald Ssemagonja
The vice president of Uganda Jesca Alupo has joined the Uganda People’s Defence Force fraternity in Mbuya, Kampala, to launch the National 44th Army Week and Tarehe Sita Anniversary celebrations. “I thank the UPDF for choosing greater Masaka to host this year’s celebrations. I believe that by the support given to the UPDF, our country will be strong. From white colonial white Masters to black neo-colonial masters, that is what we achieved at independence, in 1962 and business went on as usual.” Alupo said.
The vice president appealed to the general public to support the current president of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the fourth coming general elections because by doing this, the country and the entire world will continue to have peace being that president Museveni has been playing a pivotal role in making sure that Africa is peaceful. “I Appeal to everyone to vote for President Museveni in the 2016 general elections because of what he has done for the country, region and the world at large.” she added.
The keynote address by the retired Maj. Katirima Manoni, gave a background of Uganda’s independence. “Since 1971, Ugandans sought to liberate themselves from the oppressors and from bad governance and a neo-colonial army. Ugandan leaders who ruled the country from independence, in 1962, were not very clear about the country which had been under colonial rule since 1885 to 1962.” Manoni said.
He went on and stated that, when the Tanzania army, mutinied in 1964, president Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, disbanded them and founded the Tanzania People Defence Forces. 1971 to 1979 Idi Amin, who had toppled president Milton Obote from power, in a bloody military coup d’état ruled as a ruthless military dictator. December 12 1970, Obote from exile, in Tanzania, came back as president.
On 26 January 1986, the National Resistance Army captured state power, having defeated Obote and General Okello Lutwa who taken over power from Obote II government in a military coup d’état. 1986 to date the Army Week and Tarehe Sita celebrations have been held publicly in selected areas and later, regions with the people closely participating. UPDF celebrating its achievements and achievements of the country and the people of Uganda and galvanizing its strategic and harmonious relationship with the people.
In conclusion, the retired Maj. Gen sated that in 1985, the people of Lwemiyaga, Sembabule district, supported the then 9th battalion of NRA, under the command of then Senior Officer, Julius Chihandae, later Brig Gen retired en route to the Rwenzori mountains to reinforce the then 11th battalion of NRA, under Chefe Ali. “We welcome and thank the UPDF for the civil engineering projects they have done and will do throughout the greater Masaka region. “We wish to assure you all and all the stakeholders that the 44th Army week and Tarehe Sita anniversary activities 2025, shall find big rooms in the hearts and minds of the people of the greater Masaka region.” he said.