UPDF soldiers clean Masaka City

UPDF|TAREHE SITA|SANITATION

MASAKA - Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers have cleaned parts of Masaka City in commemoration of the Civil Military activities that mark the 40th Tarehe Sita Anniversary. 

The national celebrations take place next month.

During the exercise on Thursday (January 7, 2021), the UPDF Chief of Civil Military activities, Brig Gen Emmanuel Rwashande hailed city dwellers and business communities for maintaining the existing Civil Military relationship between soldiers and civilians. 

He said, "UPDF is a force from the people and therefore giving back to the people is a symbolic gesture that is necessary to cement the relationship."

Interacting with the civilians, the Commander of the UPDF Armoured Brigade Brig Gen Deus Sande urged residents to preserve the peace which he said has led to development and the emergence of more infrastructure in the area. 

"UPDF is now an exporter of peace as a result of the stability enjoyed in the country," he added, according to a press release from UPDF.

Similar activities are taking place in neighbouring districts of; Masaka, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu, Lwengo and Kalangala. 

The civil Civil-Military Co-operation (CIMIC) activities involve general cleaning, fumigation, tree planting and helping vulnerable groups.

Mr. Herman Sentongo, the RDC of Masaka district, commended UPDF for soldiering and maintaining the Civil Military responsibilities required from a professional soldier.

"I salute UPDF for bringing a new era of soldiers. Thank you for working with the people to develop our country," he added.

The Chairperson of Masaka Central market Ms. Betty Nakayiza lauded UPDF efforts in maintaining peace and stability.

She remarked that UPDF's discipline has made more people involved in income generating activities. 

Relatedly, the Minister of Agriculture Animal Industries and Fisheries Hon Vincent Sempija, commissioned similar Civil Military activities in Lukaya amidst jubilation from soldiers, police, locals and boda boda riders.

Meanwhile, there has been a notable 20-40 percent refurbishment on all selected infrastructure in Masaka Greater sub-region by UPDF Engineers Brigade, according to Brig Gen Emmanuel Rwashande.

President Yoweri Museveni, the commander in chief of the armed forces kick-started this year's 40th Tarehe Sita celebrations in Greater Masaka and Kampala Metropolitan Area with a launch of a museum at Katonga River in Mpigi district last week.

Similar activates are scheduled in the Kampala Metropolitan area (KMP) covering the districts of Kampala, Wakiso, including Entebbe Municipality, Mukono and Kayunga.

Greater Masaka was chosen based on historical significance, saying the region was a corridor and launching base for the liberation struggles against what he described as the ‘undemocratic regimes of 1970s and 1980s'.

"The anti-Amin struggles both in 1972/73 and 1978/79 were largely conducted through the Greater Masaka region."

"Indeed the Kikosi Maalum alongside the Tanzanian forces moved through Masaka axis, while FRONASA, which was on the Western Axis occasionally re-enforced the war effort in the same region," Brigadier Henry Masiko, the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Chief Political Commissar said recently.

According to Masiko, ‘directly linked to Tarehe Sita, Masaka was a corridor through which the 43 patriots under the leadership of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni traversed on 5th February 1981 before the actual attack on Kabamba Barracks on the 6th of February.'

"In this regard, Greater Masaka qualifies to be the launchpad for Tarehe Sita. In the final stages of the protracted people's warfare in 1985, Greater Masaka became home to the final decisive battles such as siege of Masaka barracks, the Lwengo operations and the famous Katonga battles that culminated in the defeat of the UNLA and allied forces before Kampala fell on January 26, 1986," he explained.