Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has credited the Uganda People’s Defence Force’s (UPDF) for upholding its constitutional mandates and always submitting to the civilian population.

The Prime Minister made the remarks at the National Launch of the 43rd Tarehe Sita Anniversary Week that was held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs Headquarters, Mbuya, on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

“We pay special gratitude to the revolutionaries, our strategic partners, and the civilian population for their great contribution during the years of the protracted struggle. We thank the UPDF and Ministry of Defence as a whole, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, President Museveni, for having chosen to reflect on a journey of fighting for freedom, spanning fifty years and beyond,” said PM Nabbanja.

She commended the UPDF for its participation in national development projects, which is in line with its constitutional mandate. PM Nabbanja cited the participation of the UPDF Engineers Brigade in the construction of infrastructure for ministries, departments, and agencies as the force’s long strides in the direction of being a productive force.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, said that the revolutionary heritage of the liberation struggle shall be exhibited in the National Military Museum, so that the current and future generations can fully understand and appreciate the socio-economic trajectory of Uganda.

In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Forces, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, said that the Busoga Sub-region was chosen to host this year’s Defence Forces Week to continue retracing the FRONASA circuit and recognize the earlier efforts in the fight against Idi Amin on the Mayuge front.

This year’s Tarehe Sita celebrations will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at Bugweri district headquarters under the theme of celebrating the people’s struggle for unity, security, and peace for social and economic transformation.

WHAT IS TAREHE SITA?

On February 6, 1981, a group of 41 soldiers of the National Resistance Army (NRA), led by Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, launched a successful guerilla war against the dictatorship regime by attacking Kabamba Military Barracks.

The five-year liberation war became successful on January 26, 1986, when it captured state power, and since then, the day, which is popularly known as Tarehe Sita, is commemorated annually.

On February 6, 2024, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) will mark the 43rd anniversary of its existence as a fighting force, and this year’s Tarehe Sita Anniversary will be celebrated in the Busoga Sub-region, covering the districts of Jinja, Iganga, Luuka, Bugweri, Buyende, Namayingo, Bugiri, Mayuge, Kaliro, Namutumba, and Kamuli.

Following the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, the NRA was renamed the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.