FDC says celebrating Tarehe Sita undermines Uganda’s constitution
Opposition political party, Forum for Democratic Change has said it is wrong for the army and the country at large to celebrate Tarehe Sita.
The army celebrates February 6 every year as the day that the National Resistance Army launched an attack on Kabamba barracks to seize guns in 1981 and it marked the beginning of the five year guerilla war that later ushered in the NRM government to power.
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This year’s 38th celebrations will be held in Kitgum district.
However FDC party spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda told journalists on Monday that while remembering historical events is important to the younger generation, it is not good to celebrate February 6 1981 because it was the day the NRA launched a guerilla attack on a government which was in power then.
“Continued celebration of this day undermines the spirit of our constitution,”Ssemuju told journalists at the party headquarters on Monday.
“The UPDF is a creation of the 1995 constitution and should stop celebrating victories for President Museveni in the Luweero jungles and February 6th is one of those victories.”
The opposition party spokesperson said FDC is contemplating petitioning the Constitutional Court in regards the Tarehe Sita celebrations.
The Defence minister, Adolf Mwesige recently said February 6 is so much significant in the life of the UPDF because it has given birth to a new pro-people force that has gone on to raise the Ugandan flag high and also facilitated the transformation of the country.
“As a pro-people force, our strategic partnership with the civilians has made a huge contribution on the international globe, evidenced by UPDF component in AMISOM and East African Standby Force (EASF),” Mwesige said last week.
This year’s Tarehe Sita celebrations in Kitgum will be preceded by a host of activities including renovations and construction of schools and health centres and free medical camps, all done by the UPDF.
The 38th Tarehe Sita celebrations will be held under the theme; “UPDF and the People. Consolidating Peace for Sustainable Development and Prosperity.”
