UGANDA: UGANDA CELEBRATES HER 50TH BIRTHDAY

Uganda today celebrates her 50th birthday and there is joy and festivities across the country.

Presidents present are: Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe,President of Benin (who is the current African Union chairman), Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, South Sudan's Salva Kiir, the Ethiopian Prime minister, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, DRC’s Joseph Kabila.

We will run the photographs online and in the newspapers this week. Also below, an eyewitness account from Kololo.

Golden boy Stephen Kiprotich at Kololo

Airforce jets display at Kololo

Kampala Road this morning

 

 St Lawerence's Schools and College function

Crowds at Kololo

Marching at Kololo

 Kololo Live on UBC TV - Photo by Janat Namulindwa

 

This account LIVE from Vision Group Editor-in-Chief, Barbra Kaija in Kololo....

"Today is Euphoric. No other day has drawn so much national pride and unity as today."

From all tribes, creeds and nations we have gathered to celebrate Uganda.

Kololo looks so great and emotions of national pride are on every face, the young and the old scream with excitement.

We are graced with so many guests. Presidents and vice presidents are all greeted with wild cheers. Some dignitaries seem to drive the crowds wild: the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward, President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, Salvar Kiir of South Sudan and Mugabe of Zimbabwe  attract the wildest cheers.

Then in comes the host, President Yoweri Museveni and his welcome is unparalled. The crowds scream and surge in.  I strategically sat among the wanachi and to day our love for Uganda is unanimous. We have the heart to squeeze in one or two more people even to our discomfort and we are all smiles.

The Uganda flag
The Ugandan flag is hoisted to mark the beginning of another 50 years. For some reason the flag failsto fly but the two minutes looked like eternity.
The atmosphere was electrified with anxiety, then a senior officer stepped forward and successfully hoisted it and the grounds broke out with euphoric cheers of relief.

East Africa Speaker arrives 

Barbra Kaija in Kololo adds: The distinguished men and officers of the armed forces performed an elaborate and excellent parade, befitting a national Jubilee. They were accompanied by many organisations notably, the Indian community and wives of prison officers who displayed the Kiprotich poster.

Certainly the goose match drew the wildest cheers but the highlight was the two surviving veterans of the second World War. Probably in their 80s, they braved the sun undeterred by age.

To show case advancement, was the elaborate industrial and security display. 

The Kira car

The economic highlights were the locally made Kira Car, showcased by Makerere University, School of Technology and Gayaza Electronics who now make. fridges and other electronics.

Other economic displays included Roofings Ltd, makers of roofing material, Nytil Ltd, and Samona makers of beauty products among others. 

The greatest sensation was the jet fighters, emitting vapour in the colours of the national flag which drove the boys and men crazy as they somersaulted in the air. Together with the vehicle-sized bullets show cased by Luwero Industries, this spoke of the military might of our 50 year-old nation. 

 

 Fly-past at Kololo

Source :New Vision newsroom October 9, 2012