Gen Muhoozi calls for memorial museum to preserve Uganda’s political and military history

The Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, Lieutenant General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has asked government leaders to consider putting in place a memorial museum to document Uganda’s many wars, rebellions and political upheavals.
Gen Muhoozi made the appeal Wednesday evening as he marked his 45th birthday in public, the first of its kind since 1986.
The colorful function held at the Commonwealth Resort in Munyonyo was attended by his friends in the military, business community, civil service and Members of Parliament.

Addressing the gathering, Gen Kainerugaba thanked the organisers of the function and pledged to engage in more social functions of the same kind, explaining that he is not as busy as he has been in the last 33 years.

“I want to thank all of you for attending this event. Thank you for honoring the invitation of the organizing committee. We appreciate all of you. This is my first public birthday celebration in 33 years. The last time was in 1986, very soon after Kampala fell.”

In his remarks, Gen Kainerugaba expressed concern about the lack of information amongst the youth, wondering how some Ugandans could think that the past was better than the present.

He noted that Uganda has undergone significant progress adding that it is every Ugandans’ obligation to preserve the gains.

“All of us therefore have an obligation to protect the achievements of our country but also to educate the young people who think Uganda was always this good; that Uganda was always tolerant, peaceful, democratic and progressive,” Gen Kainerugaba said.

He explained that it is a danger for a country not to know its history, adding that such a country risks repeating the tragedies of the past.

“It is like a man with no memory. You can see the massive lack of information in the young people; some even think that the past was better than the present. Only someone who is ignorant of what our country went through can think that,” said Gen Kainerugaba.

He therefore asked his guests some of whom are government leaders in various capacities to either expands the existing museum or have a memorial museum to preserve Uganda’s tumultuous history.

“Since we have a lot of young leaders here tonight, I would like to request that we work together to address this dangerous lack of information amongst the youth. For example, I don’t see why we cannot have a memorial museum, or expand the existing museum to include the many wars, rebellions, and political upheavals our country went through. Can our leaders in government and parliament work on this? Gen Kainerugaba asked.

Further, Gen Kainerugaba appealed to guests to help in engaging urban youth in sports especially soccer and boxing, arguing that sport is a productive way of spending time, adding it is a possible career path. The General also noted that engaging in sports keeps the youth away from bad tendencies such as crime.

He proposed that a fund is set up for projects directed at urban youth especially in the areas of sports, adding that when the modalities worked out, the President would contribute Shs50 million as seed money for the fund.

Some of the guests included the Chief of Staff Land Forces Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, the Deputy IGP Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeyi, the Chief of Staff Airforce Maj Gen James Birungi, Lt Col Edith Nakalema and the commander of the Special Forces Command Maj Gen Don Nabasa among other senior UPDF officers.
Others were; Mr Patrick Bitature, Ms Evelyn Anite, Mr Frank Tumwebaze, Mr Peter Ogwang, Mr Rajiv Ruparelia, Mr Edwin Karugire, Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Mr Robert Kabushenga, and Mr Ofwono Opondo, Mr Moses Byaruhanga, Mr Willis Bashaasha among others.

Major Gen Kyanda congratulated Gen Kainerugaba on his well-deserved promotion in the UPDF recently, describing him as an officer of “extreme gallantry”.

The UPDF Land forces Chief cited a number of battles successfully commanded by Gen Kainerugaba, some of which he commanded from the battlefront. Some of the battles cited by Gen Kyanda were; the ADF battle in Bundibugyo, the war against Joseph Kony in Northern Uganda, the war against the Al Shabab in Somalia, among others.

Several speakers praised Gen Kainerugaba for his humility and high level of discipline despite his privileged position as a son of a President.

Maj Gen Muzeyi who said he has known Gen Kainerugaba for half of the 45 years said his life espouses that of Uganda as a nation.

The D.IGP explained that Gen Kainerugaba lived his earlier life in exile having been born in the Tanzania Capital Dar-es-Salaam before living in a peaceful Uganda and then as a contributor to Uganda’s peace and stability.

“This is a wonderful life. Wonderful, because you can’t learn this in class, you must live it,” Maj Gen Muzeyi noted.
He further described Gen Kainerugaba as a mentor with great attention to detail and a team player who offers constructive criticism to his colleagues.

Mr Dan Kidega the former Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) said that Gen Kainerugaba had reached a golden age, where he had to make critical decisions. He noted that this generations looks to him for leadership. He also alluded to the General’s humility.
“Humility will open all the doors ahead of you and for our generation, we look at you as our leader,” said Mr Kidega attracting applause from the audience.