In 2020, the President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, commissioned the site in Katonga Mpigi District where the UPDF is constructing the Uganda National Military Museum.
The museum, which is estimated to cost Ugx110 billion, is going to be a marvel and will surely boost tourism in Uganda.
The museum is to have portraits of the late Muammar Gadaffi , Julius Nyerere, and Samora Machel at the site for their contributions during this struggle, as advised by President Museveni during the ground-breaking ceremony.
Katonga has many memories of many NRA historical figures, and the goal of the museum is to preserve and conserve the history of the Ugandan military.
Harriet Nabunnya, a technical officer from the UPDF, explained that the project will accommodate the country’s military history dating from 1894.
Nabunnya says that the army will have to purchase all items that have an attachment to the museum from private individuals and recreate what they can’t find based on the available pictures.
In August 2022, an 8-person delegation from the UPDF visited South Africa to benchmark. “The main objective of the benchmarking is to gain knowledge and understanding from the South African National Defense Force on the subject of building and running military museums as Uganda embarks on the implementation phase of the first military museum at Katonga.”
Once completed, this will be the biggest military museum in Africa, compared to the ones in Algeria and Egypt.
The UPDF deputy spokesperson, Col. Akiiki, is confident that once the UPDF Engineering Brigade is involved, all will go as planned without any doubt.
According Col. Deo Akiiki to the center is expected to boost tourism in the country as many local and international tourists are expected to flock the site to marvel at its unique architectural design and also the items on display.
