UPDF to celebrate 45 years of existence in 2026

12 November 2025, 5:13 pm

By Richard Musaazi

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) will celebrate 45 years of existence since its establishment in the 1980s. The celebration day, known as Tarehe Sita, a Swahili phrase meaning “the sixth day,” is marked every year on February 6. Next year’s national celebrations will be held in the Kigezi sub-region.

While addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, Maj. Gen. Henry Masiko, representing the UPDF leadership, announced that the national celebrations will be hosted in Kigezi to recognize the region’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of the national army.

Each year, as part of the Tarehe Sita activities, the UPDF conducts community outreach programs across different parts of the country. These include cleaning public places, offering free medical services, and supporting local development projects, all aimed at strengthening the bond between the army and civilians.

Maj. Gen. Masiko further noted that the commemoration is also an opportunity to honor the fallen heroes who played a major role in building and shaping the UPDF. The pre-event activities will officially be launched at the UPDF headquarters in Mbuya on November 18, 2025, while the main celebration will take place on February 6, 2026, in the Kigezi sub-region.