Uganda is gearing to celebrate sixty-two (62) years of independence on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, and this year’s celebrations will be held at Busikho Teacher’s Primary School Grounds in Masafu town council, Busia district, where 40 medals will be awarded to some of the Ugandan patriots.
While addressing the press at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on October 4, 2024, the State Minister for Kampala, Kabuye Kyofatogabye, announced that at this year’s celebrations there will be 40 medals awarded to Ugandans who have contributed positively to the country.
“In accordance with Section 3 Part II of the National Honors and Awards Act 2001 as amended, H.E. the president has approved the award of medals to 40 people, among whom five are female and 35 are males,” he said.
Kyofatogabye said that among the medals to be awarded, there will be 30 National Independence Medal Diamond Jubilee medals, three Luwero triangle medals, one Masaba medal, four long-serving gold police medals, one personal sacrifice police medal, and one meritorious medal police.
The minister added that there has been a health camp as a pre-event for the Independence Day celebrations, which was conducted between September 23, 2024, and September 27, 2024, at Masafu General Hospital, where a total of 1005 patients were received and over 700 were given reading glasses, and for those who require surgeries, they were slated for October 2024 at Bukedea Eye Medical Clinic.
The Chief Guest at the independence celebrations is expected to be President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, accompanied by the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin Archange Touadera.
As the country celebrates 62 years, some people had this to say about what they think the country has achieved and is worth celebrating.
Henry Mugisa, a driver with Link buses, said that at least there has been great improvement in road infrastructure, more especially upcountry roads, most of which are now motorable compared to how they were over ten years ago.
Timothy Rubangakene, a retired teacher living in Pader, said that with the 62 years of independence, Uganda has a lot to celebrate, especially the communication and technological advancement.
“In the past it would take almost two weeks to get a letter through Posta Uganda, but now with the introduction of mobile phones, it has made communication very easy where almost every household has a phone,” Rubangakene noted.
As Uganda celebrates 62 years of independence, many achievements can be attributed to good leadership and stability, which were brought by the NRM government of 1986, formerly known as the NRA.