Museveni Orders Special Burial Fund for Former War Veterans in Bold Heroes Day Pledge

Lyantonde, Uganda – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has made a stirring new pledge to Uganda’s war veterans, announcing the creation of a special burial fund for former National Resistance Army (NRA) fighters.

The pronouncement came during a deeply symbolic and emotionally charged 36th Heroes Day celebration held at the Lyantonde Technical Institute Grounds in Kaliiro Town Council.

In a tone mixing solemnity with unyielding resolve, the President declared:

“Our fighters shall not die and be buried in shame or neglect. We shall accord them the dignity they earned through blood, sacrifice, and patriotism. I have directed that a special burial fund be established immediately—for every veteran deserves a hero’s sendoff.”

The announcement electrified the crowd, drawing cheers and ululations from former fighters, local leaders, and thousands of citizens in attendance. Many described the moment as long overdue and deeply redemptive.

Museveni’s declaration, made under a blazing Lyantonde sun and flanked by First Lady Janet Museveni, marked one of the most personal and pointed addresses the veteran leader has delivered in recent memory.

“You Will Not Be Forgotten” — Museveni Reignites Veteran Welfare Promise

Beyond the burial fund, President Museveni sharply criticized inefficient spending in veteran welfare projects and called for a practical, focused approach to uplift families of the fallen and living war heroes.

“Instead of trying to build an entire house for one family and then failing to reach others, give them cement and iron sheets—let them make their own bricks. One solved problem is better than a thousand half-done ones,” he advised, in a call for realism within the Ministry of Luwero Triangle.

Referencing past initiatives like NAADS and Operation Wealth Creation, the President reminded the nation that the wellbeing of veterans has always been part of his post-war mission, including the symbolic Shs5 million token once given to over 800 veteran leaders.

He also revealed a strategic cost-saving decision: relocating veteran medical care from private facilities like Nakasero Hospital to Entebbe Grade B Hospital, a government-run facility.

War on Rural Insecurity

Shifting tone, Museveni turned his gaze toward the creeping menace of rural insecurity.

Quoting harrowing examples from Bukomansimbi and Masaka, he revealed failures in communication as the root cause—not lack of manpower or resources.

“Our weakness has been disorganization. These killers were not special—they just moved faster than our responses,” Museveni said, before unveiling a new national order: police units in every sub-county must now operate 24/7 toll-free emergency lines, rotating through shifts.

One dramatic tale silenced the crowd: a nurse named Nakyambadde narrowly escaped death by following Museveni’s earlier directive—she dialed police immediately when criminals surrounded her house. Officers arrived just in time. The attackers were captured, one as far away as Ntungamo.

“That phone call saved her life,” Museveni said with visible emotion. “This is the Uganda we must now build—a country where help is one call away.”

Land Disputes and Tenants’ Rights: “Chasing People Off Land is Illegal”

The President didn’t mince words when addressing Uganda’s simmering land disputes. In one of his most unequivocal statements to date, he lambasted exploitative landlords who terrorize bibanja tenants.

“This is colonial residue, and we are cleansing it. Nobody will chase you off your land—it’s illegal,” he thundered. He then announced a bold policy shift: bibanja tenants will soon be allowed to make rent payments through sub-county offices. Landlords who reject this system will lose power over tenants.

Infrastructure, Succession, and the Call for Unity

Museveni also responded to pressing infrastructure demands, promising upgrades to roads like Ntutsi–Kashagama–Lyantonde and Lyantonde–Lumbugu–Rakai.

On wealth creation, he encouraged farmers to adopt better livestock management and embrace irrigation technologies to beat seasonal droughts.

He also touched on succession, urging families to abandon the traditional practice of subdividing land into “useless fragments,” and instead adopt collective ownership principles that have empowered other societies.

Heroes Remembered, Legacy Affirmed

Before addressing the nation, Museveni and Maama Janet visited a newly built monument to fallen fighters of the 1981–1986 NRA war, laying a wreath in honor of the dead.

During the ceremony, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, Minister for the Presidency, called Museveni a “living hero” whose name is etched into the destiny of Uganda.

“You gave up everything to liberate this nation. Uganda is peaceful, generous, and stable today because you fought for her,” she said to thunderous applause.

Hon. Alice Kaboyo, Minister for the Luwero Triangle and Rwenzori Region, also praised the President’s foresight, particularly his sub-county policing model. “In your wisdom, you’ve brought security closer to the people. That’s a game changer,” she said.

A Nation on the Move

As the ceremony drew to a close, with chants of “Mzee! Mzee!” echoing across Lyantonde’s hills, President Museveni offered one final reminder:

“We are moving with wealth creation. I see change. Let us finish what we started together. Let us protect it with unity, vigilance, and truth.”

And as Uganda inches toward another election season, the message from Heroes Day 2025 was unmistakable: the past has not been forgotten, and the future must be defended—with memory, with policy, and with purpose.