By Frank Kamuntu
The Kyabazinga of Busoga his Royal Highness William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV hosted a team of Generals and Senior Officers of the UPDF at his home palace at Budhumbula in Kamuli district. The officers paid a courtesy call to brief the Kyabazinga on the ongoing initial preparations for next year’s 2024 Defence Forces week that will culminate into celebrations of UPDF’s 43rd birthday anniversary, commonly known as Tarehe Sita (The 6th of February).
The Kyabazinga who was flanked by his Prime Minister (Katukiro) who is also the head of the National Planning Authority Dr Joseph Muvawala promised to give full support to UPDF since the institution has been a strategic ally to the Obwakyabazinga, while the activities of the week are geared towards social economic transformation of the people of Busoga and Uganda in general.
He implored the UPDF environmentalists who will be in the region to work with the Kingdom to plant trees inside the palace premises, outside and the entire region to fight the current wave of cyclones that recently hit Busoga because of environmental degradation.
Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muvawala in his remarks thanked the UPDF for giving total security to the Kyabazinga, the entire royal family which has enabled him to reign over his subjects without any hindrance.
The Premier was instructed by the Kyabazinga to work with UPDF to push for a successful and historical celebration of Tarehe Sita in Busoga. He was also directed to ensure there is sensitization of his subjects on the saving culture by the UPDF SACCO (WAZALENDO) officials and Operation Wealth Creation to improve Household Income.
The Kyabazinga, thanked the UPDF for choosing his kingdom to host Next year’s Army Civil-military activities and eventually the head of state who will come to grace Tarehe Sita. He observed that Busoga is proud to be part of the liberation history of Uganda and that his kingdom was peaceful. He called upon UPDF to involve the Institution in all the activities.
Led by the Deputy Chief of Personnel and administration from the UPDF Joint Headquarters Mbuya Brig General Geoffrey Kigozi Kaweesa who represented the Chief Political Commissar Maj General Henry Masiko, the team explained the reasons why they have been traversing the entire Busoga Kingdom for the last one week.
Among the reasons advanced was to do needs assessment of the region, especially in areas of education and education infrastructure, health and health Infrastructure, security, sports, civic education, Ideology, veterans’ issues and others.
The UPDF also informed the Kyabazinga that Busoga was chosen to host next year’s Defence Forces activities because of its role in the early liberation of Uganda including being at the forefront of the FRONASA (Front for National Salvation) struggles, defeating the Holy Spirit Movement Wars of Alice Lakwena among others.
The UPDF teams under the overall leadership of Maj General Henry Masiko the UPDF Chief Political Commissar in the last one week has visited all the districts that make greater Busoga and met with key leaders with whom they visited and assessed projects they will carry out in support of Social economic transformation of Busoga, general security and Ideological clarity in the week that will proceed the 6th of February 2024. They also paid a courtesy call to the family of the fallen UPDF/NRA historical Maj Gen Sam Nanyumba.
The departments on the team included the UPDF Engineers Brigade, the commissariat, the Chieftaincy of Medical Services, Pensions and Gratuity, Sports and Culture, Civil-Military Cooperation, Women Affairs and Defence Public relations among others.
