Museveni to award 20 Ugandans at 64th Independence celebrations
“At its 8th Special Meeting held on March 19, 2026, Cabinet, under Minute 59 [CT 2026] 5, directed that celebrations of National and International Days be temporarily suspended with effect from the Financial Year 2026/2027, and that the funds allocated for such celebrations be repurposed towards other pressing Government priorities,” Babalanda disclosed.
Babalanda noted that Uganda's Independence was not achieved on a silver plate but was the result of years of resistance, political mobilisation and sacrifice by patriotic Ugandans who challenged colonial rule and advocated for political and economic liberation. (Credit: Isaac Nuwagaba)
KAMPALA - President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will confer Independence Medals on 20 distinguished Ugandans during the 64th Independence Day virtual celebrations at Entebbe State House on Friday, October 9, 2026, with only 30 Very, Very Important Persons (VVIPs) and a few selected religious leaders invited to attend physically.
Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, disclosed this while addressing the press at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Tuesday (October 6), explaining why this year's celebrations will be low-key and virtual.
According to Babalanda, the 30 VVIPs invited to attend physically, together with the selected religious leaders, include heads of state, presidents and prime ministers, royalty and crown princes, high-ranking diplomats, government ministers and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
She said the decision to scale down physical attendance follows a Cabinet decision taken during a special sitting.
“At its 8th Special Meeting held on March 19, 2026, Cabinet, under Minute 59 [CT 2026] 5, directed that celebrations of National and International Days be temporarily suspended with effect from the Financial Year 2026/2027, and that the funds allocated for such celebrations be repurposed towards other pressing Government priorities,” Babalanda disclosed.
The earlier communique had quoted Minute 29, but the minister clarified that the correct reference is Minute 59 [CT 2026] 5 of the 8th Special Meeting held on March 19, 2026.
Notwithstanding the directive, Babalanda said the 64th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations will be funded by State House. The celebrations are therefore being undertaken in accordance with the prevailing government arrangements, she explained.
From Kabalega to UNC
Babalanda noted that Uganda's Independence was not achieved on a silver plate but was the result of years of resistance, political mobilisation and sacrifice by patriotic Ugandans who challenged colonial rule and advocated for political and economic liberation.
“Among the early resisters were Omukama Kabalega of Bunyoro, who resisted attempts to annex Bunyoro to Egypt in 1872 and Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda, whose resistance included the Battle of Kabuwoko in Buddu in 1897,” she reminded journalists.
She said the struggle for self-rule was further advanced by political actors such as Ignatius Musazi, Semakula Mulumba, Maindi, Miti and James Kivu, alongside the establishment of Bataka Bwa Buganda in the late 1940s and the formation of the Uganda National Congress (UNC) in 1952 under the leadership of Ignatius Musazi, which strengthened grassroots mobilisation for political and economic liberation
“These developments increased African participation in formal governance, including the expansion of the Legislative Council [LEGCO] in 1950 and 1958, while the return of the Kabaka of Buganda from exile in 1955 and the subsequent Namirembe Agreement marked further milestones towards self-government,” Babalanda emphasised.
She added that motions demanding Independence continued to be advanced in the LEGCO, culminating in internal self-government in 1961, the first general elections in April 1962 and ultimately Uganda’s attainment of Independence on 9th October 1962.
“The Independence Day Anniversary is therefore not merely ceremonial. It is a moment for National reflection, an opportunity to honour the sacrifices of our forefathers and to celebrate the achievements of our Sovereign Republic,” she explained.
FDC: Independence has been a change of guard
Meanwhile, opposition parties say there is little to celebrate.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) deputy secretary for publicity in charge of documentation and publication, Walid Mulindwa Lubega, said independence meant and promised that Ugandans would govern themselves, choose their leaders in free and fair elections, own and benefit from their resources, and be treated as citizens, not subjects.
“To us in the FDC, independence has just been a change of guard, from white colonialists to black ones. The Union Jack was lowered, but the system of exploitation, oppression and extraction remained – only the colour of the master changed,” Lubega said in a statement issued October 5, 2026.
He said true independence is not about flags and parades.
“True independence is not the flag, the anthem or the military parade in Kololo or anywhere. True independence is when a mother in Kaabong can get medicine, when a farmer in Ruhaama can sell his milk, and when a young Ugandan can speak without fear,” Lubega insisted.
The virtual celebration on Friday will be broadcast live on Vision Group's Bukedde TV's various platforms, with resident district commissioners expected to mobilise citizens to follow the celebrations from district headquarters.
Security has been tightened around Entebbe State House, with only accredited VVIPs allowed to attend physically, according to Babalanda.