President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni are presiding over Uganda’s 36th National Heroes Day celebrations held at Lyantonde Technical Institute. The annual event, first marked in 1989, honours the martyrs of the 1981 NRA resistance campaign.
The official theme this year, “The Legacy and Ideals of Our Heroes: A Memorable Inspiration”, underscored the call for Ugandans to uphold national values as they did in the liberation struggle.
Security personnel, war veterans, religious leaders, and community members gathered to reflect on sacrifice and service
Fifty individuals will be awarded medals for their contributions to national development and defence.
This year’s Heroes Day celebrations are held in Lyantonde District, formerly Kabula County in Rakai District, due to its instrumental role in the 1981–1986 liberation struggle. As a key transit corridor from western Uganda to the Luwero Triangle, Lyantonde was a strategic route for NRA recruits.
Lyantonde produced brave sons and daughters who joined the liberation war, including: Lt. Gen. Pecos Kutesa (RIP), Capt. Ben Muhanguzi (RIP), Maj. Gen. Phinehas Katirima, Brig. Gen. Eugene Sebugwawo (rtd), among others. Many locals also supported the war effort materially and morally.
Key civilian contributors included Mr. Gengwe Stephen, Ms. Akiiki Mugeiga, Mr. Kiyingi Livingstone, Hajji Katende, and several others. For their support, many were killed, kidnapped, or economically sabotaged by the UPC regime.
Today, Lyantonde remains a loyal NRM stronghold and a model of rural transformation through programs like the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, and Youth Livelihood Projects.
Heroes Day in Uganda is a time to honor men and women whose sacrifices, resilience, and determination have defined the nation’s history from colonial resistance to modern-day peace-building. These individuals laid the foundation for Uganda’s liberation, national unity, and development.
Being declared a national hero means demonstrating extraordinary bravery, service, and contribution to the nation, whether in war, economic development, or community advancement. Celebrations such as Heroes Day serve to preserve and pass down these legacies through storytelling, education, and national memory.
This year, Uganda salutes its foremost hero, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, whose lifelong struggle—from defeating Idi Amin to leading the NRA in the 1981–86 liberation war,delivered the nation from tyranny. Today, Uganda is a beacon of peace, home to nearly 2 million refugees, and well on its way to becoming a modern state.