The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces on Sunday joined the rest of the Muslim faithful to celebrate Eid al Adha.
The UPDF marked the day at the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters at Kakiri in Wakiso District with a ritual of slaughtering several animals. Goats and sheep slaughtered were drawn from the UPDF projects in Kakiri Barracks and others given to the force by friends of UPDF. The meat was also distributed to soldiers and their families as well as members of Luwunga trading centre, in the surroundings of the barracks.
Mr Abaasi Kayira a retail shop owner in Luwunga could not hide his joy when he received 2kgs of meat from the barracks. “Kino kisusse!”( literaly meaning..this is too much) he said with a smile. “UPDF has done a lot for us here, but we had never received meat before from them. We draw water from their pump, and when it is broken down, we use their borehole, but this is the first time we are receiving meat. We thank the army leadership for this gesture”. He added
UPDF’s celebration of Eid al Adha is an affirmation of the fact that the UPDF is a national force that respects all religious faiths without discrimination, according the Brig Richard Karemire, the force spokesman.
The 1st Infantry Division Commander Maj Gen Samuel Kawagga, thanked all friends of UPDF who donated to them animals on top of what the UPDF had drawn from its farm. He added that UPDF is a multi-ethnic, multi-gender and multi-faith national force, that’s why it celebrates together whenever there are such occasions.
“We do everything together” he concluded.
Eid al Adha is celebrated every 10th day of the 12th Islamic month Zulhaj. The slaughter of animals is a symbolic ritual that reminds the Muslim faithful of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) who vowed he would sacrifice his son if God gave him one. Basing on his sincere intention to fulfill his vow, God substituted for him a sheep to the slaughter.