Uganda@60: Government unveils milestones 

Government has issued guidelines ahead of Independence Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds on Sunday. 

Unlike the previous two years, where the celebrations were virtually conducted due to Covid-19, this year, they will be conducted in a blended manner with both physical and virtual guests.

During the press conference in Kampala yesterday, the Minister of Security, Mr Jim Muhwezi, said only 800 invited guests shall attend, adding that they shall observe the standard operating procedures of both Covid-19 and Ebola.

“All heads of State of the East African community have confirmed attendance. The rest of the Ugandans are urged to follow the proceedings on their televisions and other media platforms,” he said.

Independence Day will be celebrated under the theme; October 9: A declaration of African interdependence and our shared destination. 

The day’s activities shall include military fly-past and acrobatic dropdown of the UPDF commandos while awarding of medals was scrapped off the agenda on President Museveni’s order.

 “There will be a number of activities including a parade mounted by various security departments. The function will be short and the President advised us to postpone the awarding of medals to next year’s function” Mr Muhwezi said.

He said the diamond anniversary is a celebration of Uganda’s achievements that include economic growth, peace and security which have been observed for the last four decades under the NRM government.

“Uganda’s GDP per capita has increased and now stands at $1,046 (Shs3.7m) per person per year and real economic growth has been averaging at 6.1 percent since 1986. We cannot forget peace and security of Uganda and the whole Africa. Uganda has not sat back when some African countries lacked peace. Together with other African countries, we put our boots on the ground in South Sudan, Somalia and other countries to ensure stability,” the minister remarked.

Mr Muhwezi refuted allegations that at 60 years of Independence, there is gross abuse of human rights associated with unwarranted abductions of citizens, especially those on the Opposition. 

He, however, promised to present the matter of abductions before the security council which is yet to sit this week.

Economic growth

Speaking to Daily Monitor yesterday, Ms Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, the presidential advisor and head of the Office of the National Chairman (NRM), praised President Museveni for uniting the country and highlighted the growth of the economy from $1.5 million (Shs5.7b) in 1986 to $45.7b [Shs1.7t) to date. 

She praised the private sector growth and social economic transformation on account of prevailing peace and stability in the country. 

“As we celebrate 60 years of independence, we are also celebrating 36 years of sustainable peace under the NRM government. The prevailing challenges notwithstanding, we have established the base for national development and growth is visible across the country,” Ms Uzeiye said 

She added: “We have built roads, dams and other key infrastructure projects. We have invested in education, health and other key sectors of the economy. As government, our focus now is on wealth creation through commercial agriculture, services, ICT and industries. We want to create jobs for the youth and attain upper middle income status for Uganda.”     

Last year, Uganda government and DR Congo launched a project to jointly construct and upgrade more than 1,000km roads in DR Congo and the minister said such road networks and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline are key shapers of Africa’s interdependence through boosting trade transactions on the continent.