{UAH} I was not aware: Museveni ‘skips’ Aronda memorial

By NELSON WESONGA

KAMPALA

President Museveni 'skipped' a memorial lecture for General Aronda Nyakairima on Monday at Makerere University.

State House said he was not aware of it.

The National Youth Entrepreneurs who organised the event held at Makerere University had informed the invitees Mr Museveni would be the guest of honour.

However, hours into The four-hour lecture, there was no sign – heavy Special Forces Command deployment – Mr Museveni would be around or would even show up. Not even uniformed police.

When contacted, the senior presidential press secretary Don Wanyama said the President was in Arua, about 500 kilometres, northwest of Kampala.

"The President is in Arua to commission Muni University," Mr Wanyama said on phone.

He added that even after Muni, the President's programme did not indicate Makerere.
During yesterday's lecture, different speakers praised Gen. Nyakairima, who died in September 2015 following a cardiac arrest.
The Internal Affairs Permanent Secretary Mr Stephen Kagoda said had it not been for Gen. Nyakairima, the registration and issuance of national identity cards would not have been achieved as soon as it was.

The project had been in the works since 2005.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Katumba Wamala credited Gen. Nyakairima with starting a savings and credit society for soldiers.
"Gen. Nyakairima realised we have a problem in this country and more so in UPDF – that there was no savings culture," Gen. Katumba said.

"In the military, the soldiers think they should spend their salary as soon as they get it because they could die soon."
This prompted him to inform the soldiers to appreciate that they had many years ahead of them – some of which would be outside the armed forces.

Gen. Nyakairima is also credited with starting a women's department in the Uganda People's Defense Force to articulate and follow up on female soldiers' issues.

He worked hard towards the success of disarmament drive in Karamoja in northeast Uganda.

Ms Linda Kahoza, the late Nyakairima's wife, described him as a caring man.

Ms Kahoza added that though he was a senior army officer, he never threw his weight around.

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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