'Embrace love, unity, and forgiveness among yourselves'
"No one believed that we would have moments like this one to celebrate peace. It's all possible because the fighters considered forgiveness for one another," the prime minister said.
Rt. Hon. Gen Moses Ali said that after sustaining the peace in the region for 23 years now, those who still have grievances should seek forgiveness and start a new life of togetherness. (Credit: Adam Gule)
Adam Gule
Journalist @New Vision
WEST NILE - The second deputy prime minister of Uganda, also a Member of Parliament for Adjuman West county, Rt. Hon. Gen Moses Ali has encouraged the people of West Nile sub-region to embrace love, unity and forgiveness.
Speaking to a mammoth congregation at the interfaith prayers on Friday ahead of the West Nile Peace Day, scheduled for April 12, 2025 (Saturday), Ali said, it's through love and unity that the ex-soldiers of several rebel groups in the region laid down their guns and supported cease-fire to bring peace in the region.
He said that after sustaining the peace in the region for 23 years now, those who still have grievances should seek forgiveness and start a new life of togetherness.
"No one believed that we would have moments like this one to celebrate peace. It's all possible because the fighters considered forgiveness for one another," he said.
The deputy prime minister who is also the deputy leader of government business took the opportunity of the congregation to forgive a group of people whom he said, stoned him in 1997 in Aringa county, Yumbe when he was delivering President Yoweri Museveni's package of sh20m to the ex-soldiers of Uganda Army who served in the Idi Amin government.
The Chairperson for Uganda Muslim Supreme Council in Yumbe, Hajji Juma Gala lauded the prime minister for the holy heart which he said easily forgives.
He said the incident was a shame to the people of Yumbe, and the forgiveness has renewed the peace between the family of Moses Alli and the people of the district.
The West Nile peace is celebrated under the theme "consolidating 23 years of peace and security in West Nile region for socioeconomic transportation".
Yumbe district chairman Abdulmutalib Asiku rallied the West Nilers to utilize the peace to develop families, society and the region.
According to Asiku, West Nile started experiencing insurgency in 1890 during the colonial regime, where the region changed in the hands of different colonial masters until 1962 when Uganda got independence.
He said that after independence, the region continued to have restless times, suffering a series of wars up to 2002, when the government of Uganda and Uganda National Rescue Front II signed peace.
The minister of state in-charge veteran affairs also a Member of Parliament for Aringa East constituency Huda Oleru Abason hailed the elders amongst the different peace initiators for working tirelessly to ensure peace in the region.