President Museveni orders Audit of Veterans funds

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered for an audit into the Ugx 231 billion funds periodically disbursed to support veterans wealth creation initiatives across the country.

The Presidential directive is premised on the 2009 meeting between President Museveni and leaders of Veterans Associations during which they resolved to pay Ugx 5 million to each leader in the Liberation war including their wives and Ugx 1.5 million to the then support carders. 

While speaking during the 37th Heroes Day virtual celebrations held at State Lodge Nakasero, President Museveni saluted Liberation War veterans for the significant contribution to Uganda’s liberation struggle on which Uganda’s transformation is founded.

President Museveni also directed an audit of the Operation Wealth Creation leadership that was charged with seedlings distribution to veterans and advised for reforms in Veterans Saccos management.

President Museveni announced plans to establish seedlings breeding facilities at Presidential farms at Kawumu and Gomba to supply to Veterans under wealth creation and promised to improve coordination of veterans support initiatives with reference to success stories including Padish Development Model. 

He directed his Principal Private secretary to fast-track treatment arrangements for veterans at Entebbe Grade B Hospital and confirmed that the government has purchased 60 Acres of land at Migadde along Kampala – Bombo road in Wakiso district to establish the liberation war museum. 

President Museveni said that Uganda has realized it’s main aims and objectives of the Liberation struggle as he salutes Uganda’s armed and civilian veterans for their contribution.

He noted that the major score of the NRM liberation war that include Economic growth and development, peace and security, infrastructural transformation, improved social and economic developments in areas of health, education and welath creation for the populace including successful expanded immunization programs through the UNEPI initiative.

President Museveni expounded on the cause for the 1980 liberation war when bad governance had ruined the country’s progress and explained why 9th of June 1981 was chosen for National Heroes Day commemoration and it’s historically record.

“Ugandans remember the immense sacrifices made by the people in the struggle for freedom and the 9th of June 1981 was chosen to represent the hundreds of thousands who were killed, especially in the Luweero Triangle. After the war, we collected skulls from 32 communal graves as a reminder of the atrocities our people endured,” He explained.

President Museveni pointed out that Uganda was facing a profound crisis, when together with others decided to go to the bush, the economy had collapsed, governance had broken down, insecurity was rampant and for 18 years, Ugandans had been denied the opportunity to freely elect their leaders. 

“Our objectives were therefore clear: restore democracy, guarantee security, expand and diversify the economy and rebuild the country,” He said.

President Museveni thanked the civilian and armed veterans who joined us in this struggle and helped achieve these goals and saluted the families of those heroes who are no longer alive, and said that the challenged now is economic transformation and ensuring that every household joins the money economy.

While speaking at the same event, the Vice President Major Jessica Alupo Epel paid tribute to FRONASA and NRA fighters who initiated Uganda’s liberation cause that has led Uganda’s socioeconomic development and transformation.

Vice President Alupo has in particular saluted President Museveni’s visionary leadership and committed to foster national development objectives on behalf of other recently sworn-in Ministers.

The Minister for Presidency Hon Milly Babirye Babalanda called on all Ugandans to heroically work towards the advancement of Uganda’s socioeconomic development aspirations and safe guard Uganda’s national interests at heart.

Minister Babalanda has reminded Ugandans to continue the fight against corruption, ensure individuals maximum productivity and to protect national gains.

The Minister of State for Luwero Triangle Hon Alice Kabuyo confirmed that 250 civilian veterans Saccos in Luwero, Rwenzori, Busoga and other Sub regions have so far received funds from government to support their income generating activities.

Minister Kaboyo notes that the Ministry for Luwero Affairs has partnered with the National Enterprise Cooperation (NEC) to construct houses for veterans starting with Nakaseke district and listed support initiatives by the Ministry to reconstruct schools that were affected by the Liberation war.

The Minister for Luwero Affairs which was the center for the liberation struggle, announced enhanced plans for monitoring and evaluation of utilisation of Veterans support funds as the initiative is scaled to includeore beneficiaries and the plan to acquire 60 acres of land at Migadde along Kampala – Bombo road in Wakiso for construction of the liberation war museum.

The Vice Chairperson of Luwero War veterans Association Kiggundu Kabandwa read his chairman’s speech Hajji Edrisa Ssedunga and asked for separate wealth creation projects for veterans and commended the high level discipline exhibited by the National Armed forces that he says rhymes well with the NRM leadership cause.

He asked President Museveni to review the decision to ban the public national celebration events and sought for a meeting between the President and veterans and called for enhanced patriotism training to counter acts like corruption in the country.