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By Emmy Allio
President Yoweri Museveni yesterday retired
from the army, but said he would continue fighting terrorists like
Joseph Kony as the Commander-in-Chief.
In a colourful ceremony
with military parade, traditional dancers and the army brass band at
Bombo barracks, Museveni was decorated general by army commander Maj.
Gen. Nyakairima Aronda and Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine.
Soon after
wearing the general�s pips, defence minister Amama Mbabazi handed
Museveni a certificate of retirement and several presents, including a
precious sculpture in the shape of a grinding stone.
He also
received another beautiful sculpture made of hardwood, stone and
glass.
Museveni described to the mammoth crowd the role played
by Libya, Mozambique and Tanzania in the liberation of Uganda. He gave
awards to Libyans, Mozambicans and Tanzanians who helped him in the
liberation struggle that began in the late 1960s.
The late
Nyerere, retired Tanzanian generals , Libyan officers including a
pilot who airdropped arms for him in Ngoma in Luweero as well as his
instructors and immediate superiors in Mozambique, were recognised and
honoured with awards.
�In our need, these three countries were the
only ones on our side,� he said, pointing to the delegations from the
three countries.
He said, �I want to tell you that in our days of
struggle, there was no USA, no Britain or European union.�
Present
was the Vice- President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Speaker Edward
Ssekandi, deputy Chief Justice L.
Kikonyongo, cabinet
ministers, MPs and former army commanders James Kazini, Jeje Odongo
and Mugisha Muntu.
The Tanzanian delegation was led by defence
minister Prof. Philemon Salonge and Gen. Alberto Kipande led the
Mozambican delegation. Brig. R.S. Ali led the Libyan delegation. Also
present was the Russian military attach�.
Without elaborating,
Museveni said, �I need to retire in order to fight new battles. But I
did n o t want to retire without telling my brothers and everybody
about those who helped me in my struggle.�
Aronda had earlier
said the President was retiring in order to have adequate time to
continue with his task of transforming Uganda into an industrial
country. Museveni said according to him, Nyerere was the �greatest
African Blackman that ever lived�.
He said those who can
surpass Nyerere�s contribution are those who will unite Africa by
forming the United States of Africa.
He said Nyerere helped in the
liberation of Uganda, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola as
well as hosting several liberation movements.
Museveni
attacked European and African countries which he said neglected Uganda
and sided with �fascists who were killing Ugandans. He said the same
countries were now pressuring him to do certain things including
reducing the defence expenditure.
On the countries advising
Uganda, Museveni said, �We do not listen to pressure. You c an advi se
us and we can listen. If you advise we listen but if you always advise
then it becomes orders. We shall not accept orders.�
He said
he had acquired equipment to fight Kony.
�The result of this is
apparent with recent results in southern Sudan,� he said in apparent
reference to on-going UPDF operations in Sudan.
In his three-hour
speech, Museveni quoted British authors who wrote on the Great Lakes
region and Uganda. He quoted details in their books on how the British
used African collaborators to fight fellow Africans. He paid tribute
to Kabalega of Bunyoro, whom he said for nine years resisted a few
British officers who were assisted by thousands of Baganda and
Sudanese fighters.
He said he was happy to retire after
training 3,365 commissioned officers.
He outlined other major
achievements since 1986 as increasing primary school admittance three
times to 7.7 million, university admittance from 5,000 to 60,000
to-date, telephones lines fr om 28,000 to 600,000 and electricity
generation from 60 mega watts to 390 mega watts.
He said
between 1890 and 1962, the only Ugandans the British promoted to
officers were 2nd lieutenant Shaban Opolot in 1958 and Idi Amin Dada.
He quoted British authors saying a total of 18,000 East
Africans fighters were casualties and 40,000 out of 494,000 African
carriers died from various diseases during the First World War.
Published on: Wednesday, 7th April, 2004 |
