As preparations for the West Nile Peace Day gain momentum, the State Minister for Urban Development and Member of Parliament for Terego East, Kania Mario Abiga, has praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his pivotal role in bringing the people of West Nile back home to Uganda.
Abiga, speaking at a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre on Friday, April 4, 2025, expressed his gratitude for the president’s efforts, which have been instrumental in ending decades of displacement for the region’s people.
The West Nile Peace Day, set to take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Yumbe district, marks a significant moment for the region, celebrating 23 years of peace following the peace agreement signed between the Government of Uganda and the Uganda National Rescue Front II (UNRF II) in 2002.
In his address, Minister Abiga provided a historical overview of the region’s struggles, recounting how, after the collapse of Idi Amin’s government in 1979, the people of West Nile were forced into exile in neighboring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He emphasized the hardship endured by the people and noted that many believed the region had been abandoned by the government.
“After Amin’s regime collapsed in 1979, people saw it as the downfall of a government that represented the people of West Nile. As a result, they were forced to flee, with many going into exile. But home? Where is home? Because, in 1914, colonial authorities returned the region to Uganda,” Abiga explained.
However, in 1986, President Museveni recognized the injustice faced by the people of West Nile and took steps to bring them back to their homeland.
“When the NRA took over power in 1986, there was one person who saw through this fallacy and said, ‘No, these people are Ugandans and they must come back home.’ That person was Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” he said.
Abiga expressed a lot of gratitude to the President for his commitment to the cause which changed the lives of many people in West Nile, living in exile for years.
The West Nile Peace Day celebrations commemorate the peace agreement signed on December 24, 2002, between the Government of Uganda and the Uganda National Rescue Front II. This followed years of conflict and instability in the region, including the activities of rebel groups such as the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), which fought the government between 1980 and 1985, and its offshoot, the Uganda National Rescue Front II.
The peace agreement saw former UNRF II fighters integrated into the Ugandan army and provided compensation of UGX 9.2 billion. The deal marked a turning point for the region, as it ushered in a period of relative stability after years of armed conflict.
With the West Nile Peace Day on the horizon, Abiga’s remarks are a timely reminder of the importance of remembering and honoring the region’s journey toward peace and unity.
