SFC Celebrates Heroes' Day With School Children

Special Forces Command soldiers have celebrated this year's heroes' day with school children with a message for the young to emulate Ugandans that have sacrificed everything to ensure peace and stability in the country as well as the African continent.

National Heroes' Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Uganda and is observed on June 9th every year. The day commemorates those who lost their lives in the Ugandan Bush War (1981 - 1986) and other Ugandans that have done extraordinary acts that impact humanity positively.

The school children were drawn from army schools in Entebbe including Summit View, Nsamizi, and Marine Base Primary schools.

The SFC Director in Charge of Civil-Military Cooperation Col Gilbert Owamagyezi presided over the celebrations on behalf of the Commander SFC Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

The selected school children were accompanied by their parents and teachers.

This years' national celebrations have been held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds with President Museveni as the Chief Guest.

This year’s theme is: “Remembering those Great Men and Women who put nation first in pursuing freedom for our Motherland Uganda.”

Speaking at the event, Col Owamagyezi advised the pupils to emulate great African leaders that have exhibited heroic traits such as President Yoweri Museveni who led a group of men with only 27 guns to liberate Uganda from the shackles of dictatorship.

He congratulated the young ones for performing well in school, adding that they are already on the right track to become future leaders. 

The function that was crowned by laying of flowers on President Museveni's monument was also attended by Col Emmanuel Odongo, Major Frank Murema among other officers and men from SFC.

The guests were entertained treated to revolutionary songs played by the SFC band before enjoying their lunch.

About Heroes' Day

On June 9th, 1981, at the start of the Ugandan Bush War, Edidian Mukiibi Luttamaguzi was killed by the Uganda National Liberation Army for refusing to reveal the hiding place of Museveni and the soldiers of the NRA.

If Luttamaguzi had not made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the soldiers, the ensuing guerrilla war that brought the National Resistance Movement to power in 1985 could have ended in defeat.

The war ended with victory for the NRA on January 25th, 1986, with Yoweri Museveni becoming President in 1986, a position he holds to this day.

In 2001, an act was passed in the Parliament of Uganda which recognized June 9th as Heroes' Day in remembrance of those who contributed to the liberation struggle that ushered in the National Resistance Movement government on January 26th 1986.