UGANDA'S INDEPENDENCE DIAMOND JUBILEE  🇺🇬

Presented by Joseph Kizza
_____________________

3:00 pm   |    Independence celebration in pictures 📸      

The march past, which included the goose march.

The military fly past.

The dropdown by UPDF commandos.

_____________________

2:30 pm   

In his passionate case for supporting local producers, President Museveni says "local products should get local names so that they sell abroad", giving an example of Teju (Teso Juice), which is produced by Soroti Fruit Factory.

_____________________

2:18 pm   

Museveni is comparing the global business for different items, including food stuffs and furniture, with the African business.

In all the comparisons, the African share is lower than the global share. This discrepancy is what gets the President to wonder whether there are African professors of economics.
_____________________

2:09 pm   |   Museveni's two questions for political class

President Yoweri Museveni congratulates Ugandans upon achieving 60 years of independence. "It has been quite an eventful 60 years. In spite of the numerous problems in the last 60 years, Uganda is now standing and moving forward," he says.

And to the political class, he poses two historical questions:

1. Are there professors of economics in Africa?
2. Is the African political class determined to build a Latin America in Africa instead of building a United States in Africa?
_____________________

2:04 pm  

The representatives of the Rwandan, Tanzanian and DR Congo presidents are also given the opportunity to address the nation.

Rwanda congratulates Ugandan upon reaching this independence milestone and speaks of working towards stronger co-operation.

Tanzania says Uganda and Tanzania should remain steadfast in their partnered work on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline and not be "deterred by any condemnations" against the project. The pipeline runs 1,443km from Kabaale, Hoima district in Uganda to the Chongoleani Peninsula near Tanga Port in Tanzania. 

DR Congo says it is time to fix what has gone wrong in their nation - in reference to the conflict that has seen blood shed by warring groups and innocent citizens caught in the conflict.

_____________________

1:48 pm   |   'Future of common opportunities' - Mohamud

Presdent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia says Uganda is endowed with "human capital, natural resources, and a spirit of success which radiates from the people of Uganda".

He says that since independence, Uganda and Somalia have been "strong allies and "share a future of common opportunities".

"We are grateful to Uganda for joining many of our brave security forces" to fight terrorism in Somalia, says Mohamud.

_____________________

1:42 pm   |   'EAC most successful bloc in Africa' - Ndayishimiye

President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi delivers the congratulations from his nation to Uganda. "On behalf of the people of Burundi, I extend my heartfelt gratitude extended to myself and my delegation since arriving in this beautiful country.

He says that the occasion is a reminder of the colonial past, which left a number of effects in its wake -  "the worst of them being division". Ndayishimiye says this is the opportunity to unite as a region for the common good and prosperity of the region.

He says the East African Community is one of the most successful on the African continent and hopes that it "will inspire other regional settings".

On the conflict in neighbouring DR Congo, the Burundian leader says nothing should come in the way of regional efforts to ensure security of any one of the member states.

_____________________

1:31 pm   |   'We must build a better future' - Kiir

President Salva Kiir, who speaks next, voices his and his fellow South Sudanese' congratulation to Uganda upon their 60th independence anniversary.

He honours the men and women who made sacrifices to liberate Uganda from colonial rule. He says that their efforts paved the way for more African countries, including South Sudan, to follow suit.

Kiir says this is "our century to uplift our people out of abject overty, chronic diseases and ignorance" and that "we must build a better future for our people".

He urges "my counterparts within the region to join hands and work together for the common good of the people".

_____________________

1:23 pm   |   We can share opportunity and prosperity' - Ruto

President Ruto delivers the greetings of his Kenyan people to their Ugandan brothers and sisters in the celebration of their independence diamond jubilee.

He says that accompanying the greetings is "our committment to the region" and he goes on to speak of the "tremendous respect" for President Museveni and that they trust that as "our elder", he can lead the regional leadership in efforts towards an integrated East Africa to "eliminate the borders that separate our people in East Africa and Africa".

"We cannot share poverty and hunger, but we can share opportunity and prosperity".

_____________________

1:15 pm  

The Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, invites President Museveni to deliver his speech. In his introductory statements, Museveni invites three of his counterparts to address the nation.

First up is President William Ruto of Kenya.
_____________________

12:25 pm  

Be reminded there is going to be a military fly-past and an acrobatic dropdown of the UPDF commandos.

The master of ceremonies, Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye (army spokesperson) has alerted the guests to warm up for that second aerial display.

The fly-past is being led by the caravan formation.

_____________________

12:01 pm   |    Earlier pictures 📸  

From the President's inspection of the guard of honour . . .

_____________________

11:48 am   

What is happening now at Kololo? March past. It is some neat footwork on show.

_____________________

11:33 am   

It is time for prayers - the different religious sects are represented on the dais.

Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu of Church of Uganda leads the session, anchoring his prayer on the Book of Isaiah 60:1: "Arise and shine, for the Lord's glory is upon you".
_____________________

11:27 am   

After inspecting the parade, the President proceeds to inspect the hoisting of the national flag - a replay of what happened on October 9, 1962.

Meanwhile, Somalia's president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has touched base at Kololo and is welcomed by a warm applause from the rest of the guests.
_____________________

11:15 am   

President Museveni is now inspecting the mounted guard of honour.

By the way, as the inspection was getting underway, President Ruto was being ushered to his seat amid a huge cheer from the crowd. He is only three weeks into his new job, having succeeded the man he deputised for two terms: Uhuru Kenyatta. The applause should have been seen an indication of the 55-year-old leader's popularity here in Uganda.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola is attending the event in the black Police ceremonial uniform.

_____________________

11:10 am   

The foreign presidents (and their representatives) are arriving at Kololo - Kenya's William Ruto, who jetted in on Saturday. Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania and Paul Kagame of Rwanda sent representatives.
_____________________

11:06 am   

👇🏽 Take a look at the joint UPDF, Police and Prisons band perfoming. (Credit: Uganda Police Force)


_____________________

10:55 am   

After the anthems, it is the mounting of the parade by the officers after the President and First Lady take his seat.

Very neat, choreographed formations by the officers, who are using brass, woodwind and percussion instruments to animate their synchronized display.
_____________________

10:47 am   |    CHIEF GUEST MUSEVENI ARRIVES

President Yoweri Museveni has arrived at Kololo. He is accompanied by First Lady and education minister Janet Museveni.

All will rise for the singing/playing of the anthems - first the Ugandan, followed by the East African Community one. Present are religious leaders, politicians and diplomatic dignitaries.

Vice-President Jessica Alupo

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo

_____________________

10:42 am   

DR Congo President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi's representative has arrived at Kololo.
_____________________

10:38 am  

Pictures from the Saturday evening's state dinner at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala hosted by President Museveni.

_____________________

10:31 am  

With an invite-only guest list of only 800 people, you would imagine it is a physical attendance of only high-profile individuals. Most of the guests are already at Kololo, but the Presidents and his counterparts have yet to arrive on a hot day in Kampala.
_____________________

10:13 am   |    African interdependence, shared destiny

This year's diamond jubilee is themed: A declaration of African interdependence and our shared destiny.

Here are pictures from arrivals and interactions.

_____________________

9:48 am   |    What to expect today

This year's is a unique celebration because it is the independence diamond jubilee, marking 60 years.

President Museveni is the chief guest at Kololo. The East African Community (EAC) leaders are in the country to attend the event, together with other invited guests, who are already settling in at the venue ahead of the start of the ceremony.

A parade will be mounted by the officers of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service and Uganda Wildlife Authority.

There will also be a military fly-past and an acrobatic dropdown of the UPDF commandos.

Today's celebrations are still scientific, which means the guest list is only 800 long. Guests are sitting in accordance with the standard operating proceduces (SOPs) of COVID-19.

According to the government, this adherance to the SOPs is necessary because the coronavirus is not yet eradicated in Uganda, and the outbreak of the Ebola disease last month on Mubende district in the central region necessitates that audiences are kept small for these celebrations.

Also of note is that there will not be awarding of medals "because of the nature of the function", according to security minister Jim Muhwezi. "This function will be short and the President advised that we postpone the award of medals to the next function".

"The rest of the Ugandans are, therefore, urged to follow the proceedings on their television sets, radios and social media".
_____________________

9:14 am   |    Voices from 1962: 'A big announcement was made'

Bafaki Kayonga Amooti is a veteran politician, who hails from Fort Portal. He shares his first independence day experience six decades ago:

The country Uganda is not a creation of its component parts. Before there was Uganda was Buganda, there was Tooro, there was Ankole, there was Acholi, there was Lango. This place was brought together by force.

They made us work and do things which were in their interest and we had no freedom to express our grievances. So, we were an entity which could be changed any time they wanted.

There was a big communication on radio about what was going on at Kololo. So, that time when they were raising the flag at Kololo, also the flag was raised here (Fort Portal) and people were very jubilant and they were clapping. 

And people had great hope on getting a government of our own. The hope was that we were going to govern ourselves. That means that the government coming into place was going to be our government and we expected out government to do better than the government of the foreigners.

So one expected that if you go into an office, you find there a Black face instead of a White man, who sees you as an anonymous.

Africans started, for instance, tea growing. They were allowed to grow tea while before they were not allowed to. A number of factories started coming up like Mabale and Mpanga. 

We could see Africans begin to engage in certain economic activities which they were not able to engage in.

The hope for national unity has not really materialised in the way in which we hoped that it would materialise. What I can say is that Uganda is still groping for a way forward. The problem being that we, as Ugandans, and maybe as Ugandan communities, we have never really genuinely sat down.

I think that [gaining independence] was a major step forward to be free politically from foreign control and for us to be in a situation to determine our destiny, which we can still do if we have enough goodwill among our political leaders.

WATCH VIDEO 👇🏽


_____________________

9:09 am   |    Voices from 1962: 'We enjoyed ourselves'

Tom Mboijana is today a senior citizen, who was a Uganda People's Congress (UPC) party youth winger in 1962, at the time Uganda got her independence from British rule. He shares his memories of the historic occasion:

Uganda was a protectorate. It wasn't a colony. So it was easier for us. We didn't have the MAU MAUs and whatnot. We didn't have armed fellows fighting for independence. No, that was not the case here.

All schools and other citizens used to go for parade at Boma grounds in celebration because they would be a band. We used to get some sodas, sweets and flyers. We enjoyed ourselves. For example, me as a UPC [Uganda People's Congress] youth winger, I was happy because it was my party which had won. 

Those days, people used to get fish, freeze it and sell it in the groceries, which is not the case now.

There is nothing to celebrate about. If you cannot put food on the table for your family, if you cannot buy an aspirin. 

WATCH VIDEO 👇🏽


_____________________

9:01 am   |    Voices from 1962: 'We were happy, they were not'

Today, Emmanuel Andrew Marckley Eyadu is an elderly resident of Kaberamaido district. At the time when Uganda got its independence six decades ago, he was a district health inspector in present-day Jinja city. He recollects what happened in the lead up to the big day:

Almost every home had something to do to celebrate the day.

It is unfortunate that I cannot talk for the majority of the people because I was privileged. I was a member of the district team. And I was district health inspector of Busoga - the whole of Busoga, not this fragmented Busoga.

We did the planning of receiving the independence day. I attended all the [preparatory] meetings. In role allocation, I was given a small portfolio of arranging for seats with other people. Everybody was happy, but most of the Europeans were not happy - because they were losing their positions.

I remember one European lady throwing off her shoes and started walking barefoot, demonstrating that she would even walk back to Bulaya [Europe]. 

But for Africans, we were very happy, we knew we were going to occupy those beautiful houses, the offices, cars and all the privileges our bosses, the Whites, were enjoying.

[Fast-forward to present day] The road network has very much improved. Health services have move nearer to the people. The word independence now has a meaning. Even the judicial system has very much changed. Now you can take a local case to the LC [local council] 1 and the matter is settled. Unilke in the past, when no-one but only the court would decide and the courts were very rare.

When I started working in 1958, my salary was 400-something pounds per annum. One pound was sh20 at the time. And that thing was steady. Annual salary increase was almost automatic unless you did something very bad. Even the people who were getting pension, except that it was only central government that was paying pension. The problem now is that my salary is not coming in good time. 

WATCH VIDEO 👇🏽


_____________________

8:53 am   |    Museveni hosts visiting presidents

Pictures have emerged showing President Yoweri Museveni hosting his visiting counterparts at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala Saturday evening.

The five leaders are in Uganda to join Ugandans in celebrating the 60th independence anniversary of their nation: William Ruto (Kenya), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), Hussein Ali Mwinyi (Zanzibar) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia).

Other nations have sent representatives.

_____________________

8:42 am   |    'Remain true to our identity'

On Saturday, a National Prayer Breakfast was held at State House Entebbe, graced by President Museveni and his wife Janet.

"My first interaction with the idea of a prayer breakfast was at the invitation of the USA Congress and I congratulate the Prayer Breakfast Movement of Uganda on staying the course and using the platform to address some of the pertinent issues of our societal needs," said the President after the event attended by a sizeable group, including religious and political leaders.

"The message to remain true to our identity as African people even as we claim our place in a fast-developing world, ought to be deeply reflected on by all especially our young people."

_____________________

8:30 am   |    Preserving Uganda's heritage

In the days leading to today's occasion, President Museveni officiated at the opening of the Uganda History Exhibition at the Uganda Museum in Kampala as a precursor for the 60th independence celebrations. He commended the curators for "unearthing and preserving Uganda’s heritage for the current and future generations".

During the event, Museveni also interacted with Joyce Mpanga, former First Lady Miria Obote, Dr. Martin Jerome Okec Aliker, Dr Charles Oluwel and Bishop Emeritus Baker Ochola, who "provided rich recollections of Uganda’s pre- and post-independence process".

"Young people will pick a lot from their memories," said the President.

_____________________

8:20 am   |    Avoid dependency, parasitism

In the buildup to today's celebrations, President Yoweri Museveni has a message for Ugandans:

"As we make 60 years of independence, let everybody embrace wealth creation and the principles and strategies that support it (patriotism, pan-Africanism and socio-economic transformation) and avoid idleness, dependency and parasitism. A happy independence day to you all."
_____________________

8:15 am   |    S.Sudan, Burundi, Zanzibar presidents in Uganda

Presidents Salva Kiir of South Sudan and Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi are also in Uganda for today's celebrations. Also here is President Hussein Ali Mwinyi of Zanzibar.

The leaders were later hosted to a state dinner at Munyonyo on Saturday, the eve of Independence Day.

_____________________

8:13 am   |    Somali's Mohamud also here

Also here in Uganda for the independence day celebration is President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of the Federal Republic of Somalia, who arrived at Entebbe on Saturday.

President Mohamud was received by Uganda's defence minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja.

_____________________

8:10 am   |    Kenya's leader in Uganda

A number of regional leaders are in the country to grace today's big day.

One of them is President William Ruto of Kenya, who arrived in Uganda for the first time as president on Saturday. 

Later, President Yoweri Museveni said he had held "a fruitful discussion" with Ruto and that they had "discussed matters of mutual interest to our nations and people" at State House Entebbe.

Also present in the meeting were the First Ladies of the two nations: Janet Museveni and Rachel Chebet Ruto.

_____________________

8:00 am   |    Good morning everyone

Welcome to our live text commentary of today's anniversary celebrations, as independent Uganda turns 60. The main event will take place at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in the capital Kampala.

Remember to refresh this page for updates.