Jinja: The former Kagoma county legislator, Dr. Frank Nabwiso, has demeaned the selection of Ugandans to be recognized as heroes. He says the selection is not clear and unknown because right heroes are instead not recognized and rewarded.
Nabwiso describes a hero as one who sacrifices life or commits self to ensure others have a successful future. He says it’s not only soldiers who can be heroes but also scientists, scholars and others from different fields.
Uganda on every June 9, celebrates the Heroes Day and many are always recognized and rewarded medals for their sacrifices to the country. This year’s celebration was at Kasaala Catholic church Grounds in Butuntumula subcounty in the renowned Luwero triangle.
This was officiated by Prime minister Robinah Nabbanja on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni, who is currently in self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. In his message, the president vowed that government will soon start on a number of road tarmacking works which will see more transformation in the Luwero triangle.
According to Dr. Nabwiso, from 1962 to 1985, there was no Heroes Day till the emergency of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government. He says we have two important NRM celebrations; Heroes Day and the National Liberation Day.
“I don’t so much want those things of Heroes Day because the way they scrutinize those to be awarded medals is not clear. I would like them to give details of those people and we want a few every year from different fields,” says Nabwiso.
“I want to hear those scientists who discovered different things, people who have written books that help Ugandans to be nationalists and patriotic are named. Get businessmen who have succeeded but when you only focus on those who fought with guns in the bush, it is meaningless,” he added.
The professor suggests that let there be a ‘house of faith’ where details of renowned persons are recorded and those that are believed to have fought in regions. He says that many are recognized as heroes after providing foodstuffs to soldiers who were fighting in 1980s.
“These said heroes are currently spoilt, we are honoring people who constructed huge schools after robbing money. Personal integrity must be the standard of people to be named heroes,” he noted.
He cited John Nambago, the former Uganda Cranes goalkeeper between 1940 and 1952 and the former Uganda chief justice, Waako Wambuzi as people with integrity who need to be remembered. He said medals are not enough to heroes but instead they need to be detailed and information taught to the young generation.
