Heroes’ Day celebrations to be held scientifically, only 25 guests invited

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The 37th National Heroes Day anniversary celebrations slated for Tuesday, June 9, 2026, will be held scientifically with only 25 guests invited to grace the occasion, the minister-designate in charge of the Presidency, Milly Babalanda, has said.

Addressing the press at the Uganda Media Center on Thursday, Babalanda, who was flanked by the presidency ministry's undersecretary, Finance and Administration, Emmanuel Walani, said even though the celebrations will be held scientifically, the day will still remain a national holiday.

“On June 9, 2026, Uganda is scheduled to hold celebrations marking the 37th Heroes’ Day anniversary at State House Entebbe in a scientific manner. The implications are that there won’t be a public gathering in some specific venue as has been in the previous years,” Babalanda stated.

Babalanda said President Museveni will officiate at the function and will be joined by less than 25 guests, chosen from the three arms of government (parliament, executive and judiciary), and representatives from the Luwero veterans association.

"The rest of the country will receive the president’s message via the national broadcaster and other broadcasters that have a national audience,” Babalanda added.

She revealed that the change in nature of our commemoration has been due to the fact that the country is observing strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aimed at containing the Ebola pandemic.

“As you may recall, on May 16, 2026, President Yoweri Museveni, after consultations with the national epidemic response taskforce and religious leaders, decided to postpone the much-anticipated annual Uganda Martyrs’ Day pilgrimage due to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),” noted Babalanda.

She said this was on account that Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims annually from eastern DRC, the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak.

“Subsequently, on May 17, 2026, the director general of the World Health Organisation also declared that the Ebola outbreak in DRC constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. As you may notice, the Heroes' Day celebration falls only six days after the Uganda Martyrs' Day on June 3, 2026. It thus makes sense to assume that it may not be possible to congregate a lot of Ugandans at Kololo on June 9, 2026,” Babalanda added.

Babalanda said since the 37th Heroes' Day celebration falls immediately after a successful function of the swearing-in day and inaugural ceremony of the president-elect, the national organising committee has decided to maintain the theme of the swearing-in day:  “Protecting the Gains: Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.”

She said thanksgiving prayers will be held throughout the country to commemorate the auspicious day. “I call upon all dear countrymen and women to attend these prayers in your respective places of worship in all mosques and churches,” she implored.

She said at the moment, the Government had not yet received any indications of state visitors to grace the occasion and that she would brief the country as the situation unfolds.

The National Heroes' Day in Uganda is an annual public holiday observed on June 9, to commemorate the sacrifices of individuals who fought in the liberation struggles. The date primarily honours the National Resistance Army (NRA) guerilla war (1981–1986) and specifically remembers Edidian Luttamaguzi, who was murdered for protecting NRA rebels.

The scientific celebrations come in the wake of a decision announced by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ramathan Ggoobi, who said that on May 31, 2026, that at the beginning of the Financial Year 2026/27, the Government will no longer spend money on organising public holiday celebrations such as Women’s Day, Labour Day, and Independence Day.

Ggoobi said the President will instead address the nation via radio and television from State House, with the funds saved redirected to government priorities under the agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral development and science, technology and innovation agenda, as well as other key development enablers.

“The only exception public holidays are the religious functions,” Ggoobi stated.

Ggoobi’s statement comes in the wake of Rationalisation of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX), a government reform launched in 2024 to enhance efficiency by reducing duplication, merging or dissolving certain government agencies, and re-allocating funds to improve public service delivery while controlling administrative costs.

By December 2025, Parliament had passed 35 laws rationalising 40 entities. Of these, 23 agencies were dissolved, merged or mainstreamed into parent ministries, while 17 rationalisation processes remain pending.