Museveni calls for pan Africanism as 195km Bush War trek ends

President Museveni yesterday completed a six-day trek called Africa Kwetu covering a distance of 195km.

The President, his supporters and several government officials walked and at some point drove before they concluded what they called a historic march that started from Galamba in Wakiso District to Bireembo in Kakumiro District.

Bireembo is the site of one of the fiercest battles between the National Resistance Army (NRA) rebels and then-President Milton Obote’s troops.
Mr Museveni’s return to the liberation war jungles reincarnated the ideals of a five-year struggle for freedom as he retraced the NRA Bush War routes before he overthrew the then military government of Gen Tito Okello 34 year ago.

The President paid homage to the fallen comrades in the Bush War, met families of his fighters and reunited with senior citizens as well as the widows and other people who defended the five- year struggle.

Although Mr Museveni is expected to address a news conference today, yesterday he asked Ugandans to embrace the spirit of pan Africanism in order to accelerate prosperity in Uganda, East Africa and the entire African content.

In his message on the final day of the trek, Mr Museveni invited the current crop of Ugandans and leaders at all levels to emulate the spirit of NRM fighters.
Addressing trekkers in Kasambya, Kakumiro District, where they spent a night before they embarked on the last lap of the journey, he said it would take “purpose, discipline and preparation” to realise pan Africanism and unity- the tenets that saw the Bush War heroes through the war.

“The other day I told you [that] one needs [an] ideology [and to also] have a clear aim of the way forward for Africa. Secondly [is] the discipline to fight for it. [If] you have the aim but you don’t have the discipline, then you may not be able to fight [for it]. For me, I am going to fight even today. We should [fight for it],” Mr Museveni said.

The President also asked Ugandans, especially the cluster he calls Bazukkulu [the grand children], to keep off distractors.

“Sometimes we get sick people because of alcohol; the other issue is of eating too much. Because food is also a disease. Because even if you have the ideology, you have must have discipline,” he added.

Mr Museveni, however, revealed they had mostly driven through the bigger part of the journey and walked for 78km because he had to make several stopovers, which included among other things, to check on his Bush War ‘comrades.’

“Through this trek, I have been able to relink with the widows of our departed comrades, and again personally reach out to those who harboured and supported us during the liberation struggle,” Mr Museveni said.
He also lauded the Bazukkulu that had braved through the rigorous trek.

“To the Bazukkulu who joined me on this [trek], I am happy that you now know some history and have felt a bit of how much people really sacrificed for the collective gains of this country. I thank you,” he said.

The President said he resisted what he called temptations to lure him into driving through the final 14km of the 195km trek. The 14km were the stretch between Kasambya and Bireembo in Kakumiro District.
He also lauded the participants and said the walk was healthy.

“This walking is really good for health. When we sit in those offices of ours, you die slowly. The muscles are not working. You think you are clever but actually you are not clever,” Mr Museveni said.

“So I want to encourage the culture of physical [fitness],” he added.

The President has been leading a ground of about 2,000 people in the walk that started on January 6.
The trekkers went through Wakiso, Nakaseke, Mityana, Kiboga, Kasanda, Mubende and Kakumiro districts. During the walk, trekkers made six overnights, each characterised by camp fires.

The idea of awakening the Bush War walk was hatched by Senior Presidential Advisor Alice Kaboyo who then approached the President. A similar trek was done 21 years ago.

In 1999, Mr Museveni set out to retrace the NRA guerilla bases in the Luweero Triangle, which started from Galamba forest in Wakiso District to Bireembo.
The sixth and closing day of trek were marked by routine assemblies, briefings in given units and testimonies from some former fighters.

Among these was Ms Olivier Zizinga who said the war era left a horrible feeling on her.
“That time was not easy and coming through those times was very tough. A time came and I told my brother that why don’t we die. I told him that let us go and look for the enemy and he kills us,” 83-year-old Zizinga recalled.

Mr Museveni treated all trekkers to bull and goat roasting last evening. At the closing event, the trekkers were treated to performances from some the artistes and the band of the armed forces.

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