By Hellen Seku
Opinion
Yesterday June 9, 2024 Uganda celebrated its 35th National Heroes Day that took place at Mpenja Sub- County headquarters in Gomba district.
The 2024 Heroes Day was celebrated under the theme “Hail our legends, a secure Uganda is now a Reality.”
The day is celebrated in memory of the first NRM/A patriots who were excecuted in Kikandwa Luweero district by the UNLA in 1981.
Are you aware that every country has his/her own heroes?
Now, just like other countries, the Parliament of Uganda found it important to enact a law in 2001 with a purpose to make this day a public holiday specifically to remember and commemorate the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the successful liberation of this country.
But have you ever asked yourself why the day is worth celebrating?
We celebrate the day because those great patriots indeed are the ones who made Uganda what she is today due to their sacrifice to liberate this great nation
We remember the great men and women who offered their lives in order to see freedom in their country and truly, the peace and tranquility we are enjoying today is because of their sacrifices which were beyond the call of their duty.
They suffered, died for the better future of our country Uganda and such an act is done by a few individuals therefore celebrating heroes day is to remember their deeds but also to encourage all Ugandans that it is necessary to love and sacrifice for your country.
Today in our modern Uganda, being a hero doesn’t necessarily require you to fight in a bush war, no!
We have heroes in security like our soldiers who are always at the frontline protecting our nation, in the healthy sector, doctors and nurses have in many difficult times like during COVID-19, Ebora, eras they have offered their lives to make sure that we remain safe and other sectors.
It is worth noting that their sacrifices are recognized and appreciated because of their patriotic spirits.
This also explains why this year a number of 59 distinguished present day heroes who have contributed to the development of the country are going to be awarded with medals during the celebrations in Gomba district and this has been the case as well previously.
Specifically, the day was always remembered in celebration of Edidian Mukiibu Lutamaguzzi and his fellows due to their heroic actions.
They were murdered on orders of the then president Idi Amini accusing them of collaborating with the NRA.
The rebels had hid at the premises of Lutamaguzzi and they refused to disclose the whereabouts of today’s President Museveni and had he exposed them, we wouldn’t be celebrating this day today because the revolution wouldn’t have happened because the NRA leader is the reigning president of the country H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the chief Hero and patriot of this beautiful country.
They would have decided to disregard and ignore the whole situation because no one had promised them favors or pay but they abandoned their happiness and future prospects or and see how we are enjoying the fruits of their sacrifices today.
They truly demonstrated exceptional courage in the face of adversity, they taught us the importance of standing up for what is right no matter how dangerous and difficult the situation may look like.
Due to their patriotic acts of selfless sacrifices by putting the needs of others above their own as patriots, that is a vivid lesson to take home as young patriots of this current generation.
The writer is the Commissioner of the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps in the office of the President Ms Hellen Seku
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