The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) is set to begin preparations for the 55th Tarehe Sita anniversary with a series of social and economic activities across the country. The celebrations will climax on February 6, 2026, at the Kabale Municipal Grounds (NIC Grounds) in Kigezi, Kabale District.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre on November 12, 2025, Major General Henry Matsiko, the UPDF Chief Political Commissar and Member of Parliament representing the army, delivered a statement on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Gen. Muhoozi emphasized that Tarehe Sita is a day to honor and remember the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives to bring peace and stability to Uganda.

“As we celebrate the upcoming 55th Tarehe Sita anniversary, we pay tribute to the founding members of the revolutionary forces; the National Resistance Army (NRA), which later became the UPDF. Their struggle was rooted in achieving freedom and democracy as foundations for socio-economic transformation,” Gen. Muhoozi said in his message.

He added that the commemoration also reflects Uganda’s broader liberation journey from early nationalist movements and the 1960s University Students’ African Revolutionary Front, to the 1970s Front for National Salvation (FRONASA), and the historic February 6, 1981 attack on Kabamba, which marked the birth of the people’s revolutionary army.

This year’s celebrations will be held under the theme: “Defending the Gains of the Revolution and Honouring the Sacrifice of the Freedom Fighters: A Call to National Unity, Peace, and Socio-Economic Transformation.”

The national launch of the 2026 Tarehe Sita celebrations will take place on November 18, 2025, at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya, officiated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

After the launch, UPDF teams will be deployed to the Kigezi sub-region starting November 29, 2025, to carry out community outreach programs. District-level launches will follow from December 2–3, 2025, leading to two weeks of intense community service and engagements.

Activities will include construction of community infrastructure projects by UPDF engineers, free medical camps, donations to schools and youth groups, as well as civic education and cultural events aimed at strengthening the bond between the army and civilians.

Maj. Gen. Matsiko urged all Ugandans to take part in the celebrations, saying that commemorating Tarehe Sita is an expression of gratitude to those who fought for peace and unity.

“The peace we enjoy today is a result of the sacrifices of our fallen heroes. Celebrating Tarehe Sita is not just for the army, it is for every Ugandan who values unity, peace, and progress,” he said.

Since its inception in 1981, Tarehe Sita, meaning “the sixth day” in Swahili, has remained a cornerstone of Uganda’s history, symbolizing the strong bond between the armed forces and the citizens in their shared pursuit of peace, unity, and national development.