By Sophan Niwamanya
apearlnews.com
The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces 31 Battalion has today paid tribute to the Front for National Salvation (FRONASA) fighters who were killed on February 10, 1973, on orders of IDI Amin.
The fighters who were killed by the firing squad in Kabale municipal stadium on that day were James Karambuzi, Joseph Bitwari, and David Kangire.
Shortly after the January 1971 military coup that brought General Idi Amin to power, Yoweri Museveni, who until the coup was working as a researcher in President Obote’s office, left for Tanzania and started mobilizing clandestine activities against the new government. He started recruiting people into a new rebel group, Fronasa, and among the recruits were Karambuzi, Bitwari, and Kangire. Other recruits that Museveni, now President of Uganda, mentions in his book “Sowing the Mustard Seed” include Mukhwana Maumbe, Abwooli Malibo, Augustine Ruzindana, Mwesigwa Black, Eriya Kategaya, Kahinda Otafiire, and Martin Mwesiga, among others.
Ahead of the 42nd Tarehe Sita celebrations in Mbarara district tomorrow, the UPDF soldiers and other sister security officers from the Uganda Police and Uganda Prisons from Kabale district paid a special tribute to the FRONASA fighters.
The event, which started with a cleaning exercise at Kabale regional referral hospital, was presided over by the State Minister for Trade, Industries, and Cooperatives, David Bahati.
At the hospital, the soldiers were hailed for exhibiting a good image that shows a pro-people force.
The minister later led the authorities in laying a wreath on the monument that was recently renovated by the UPDF in commemoration of the fallen FRONASA fighters who were gunned down in Kabale municipal stadium.
Bahati said that the government will consider reaching out to the families of these fallen heroes in a fair way so as to make them feel the impact of their struggle.
He commended the UPDF for its professionalism and for positively impacting the country.
Godfrey Nyakahuma, the Kabale Resident District Commissioner, commended the Ministry of Defense for considering the upgrade of the monument, which holds the great history of the country.
Ssentaro Byamugisha, the Kabale municipality mayor, said that authorities in the area will consider fencing the monument so as to protect it from external destruction.
The 42nd Tarehe Sita Army Week is celebrated under the theme “Recognizing the sacrifice of the founders of the People’s Revolution for social and economic transformation.”
