Museveni pays tribute to Winnie Mandela

PIC: President Yoweri Museveni signs a condolence book in remembrance of winnie Mandela at the South African High Commission in Uganda. This was on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 (Credit: Roderick Ahimbazwe)

TRIBUTE

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni has praised the fallen anti-apartheid activist, Winnie Mandela as a heroine of the liberation struggle to end white-minority rule in South Africa.

The President paid a visit to the South African High Commission in Kampala at 10:20am on Tuesday and signed in a condolence book to commiserate with the South African government and her family.

Addressing journalists at the High Commission, Museveni said Mandela played a key role in keeping the embers of the struggle burning when most of the activists were either killed or jailed by the regime.

As a young charismatic resistance fighter, Winnie was the wife of former South African President and independence icon, Nelson Mandela for 38 years, before they divorced.

President Yoweri Museveni (right) addresses the media as Xolela Nofukuka, the acting High Commissioner of the South African High Commission in Uganda looks on. President Museveni had gone to sign a condolence book in remembrance of winnie Mandela. This was on Thursday April 10, 2018. (Credit: Roderick Ahimbazwe)

"She became the face of the African National Congress (ANC) when its leaders were arrested or killed," Museveni said of the turbulent period in the 1970s.

Xolela Nafukuka, the acting South African High Commissioner, said Winnie was not only revered as the wife of Mandela, but also respected as a heroine of the anti-apartheid struggle.

The envoy thanked Museveni and Uganda for backing South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle through training and material support.

"You cannot speak of liberation of South Africa without mentioning Uganda. Your contribution and that of Uganda will go a long way in growing relations between two countries," Nafukuka stated.