Visiting Mozambique head of state ,Filipe Jacinto Nyusi returned home after telling the people of Nakaseke the “cradle” of the NRM revolution to take advantage of the development in the area like the Kapeeka Industrial Park to economically emancipate themselves and contribute to national development.
“One advantage is that this land which was in the past the birth of the liberation is now the birth of development, so it’s important to say that we will empower our people for development. This is a place where employment is generated and by doing so, we can empower ourselves and develop,” Nyusi said.
While touring the Kapeeka Industrial Park also known as Liao Shen Industrial Park in Nakaseke District, President Filipe Nyusi inspected the Uganda Ceramic Company Limited that manufactures high quality tiles .
“Our visit was not in vain. We are happy to see industrial parks such as these in Uganda. We did not bring our businessmen this time but we will certainly do so and build up economic firms so that we can do things such as these as an example. One of the companies investing in these projects will, starting from this year operate in Mozambique,” he said.
Presdient Filipe Nyusi was received by among others NRA/UPDF veteran Gen Salim Saleh who is the Chairman Operation Wealth Creation and Special Presidential Advisor on Defense and Security, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen Jeje Odongo Abubaker, the Minister of State for Security Gen Jim Muhwezi, the State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen David Muhoozi, the Minister for Energy and Mineral development Ruth Nankabirwa, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs Huda Abason Oleru and the Minister of State for Luwero Triangle Alice Kaboyo among others .
Gen Saleh reflected on the period when he joined 26 other soldiers recruited by Gen. Otafiire and were sent by President Museveni to Montepuez Mozambique for two years intense military training between 1976 and 1978. Gen. Saleh said they used to read only two books that were in the library titled, “The Long Match” by Chairman Mao Zedong and “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” by Walter Rodney .
President, Filipe Nyusi also led his delegation and visited Kawumu Presidential Demonstration farm and was taken on a guided tour of the different projects undertaken at the farm that included among others fish farming, poultry, coffee plantation, banana farming and rabbit farming .
He later went to Luwero Industries at Nakasongola where he interacted and received a presentation from General Muzeyi Sabiti the GM of Luweero Industries in which he talked about the different Productions Lines, Joint Venturess and Partnerships of Luweero Industries which including ProHeli the MRO Plant for Helicopter, Kyoga Dynamics- the JV for Commercial Explosives, Strait the JV for Armoured Vehicles, KMC partnership for Electric and Diesel Buses, Oxygen and Nitrogen Plant, amongst other Productions Lines at LIL.
President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to promote cooperation between the countries in the areas of agriculture , manufacturing , transport , energy exploitation and development among others. The Ministry of Energy was represented by the Minister Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa.
Gen. Museveni said Mozambique FRELIMO helped shape Uganda’s Front for National Salvation (FRONASA), which was part of the foundation of Uganda’s National Liberation Army (UNLA), National Resistance Army (NRA), and later the UPDF.
Museveni explained the special relationship he had with FRELIMO. “Our relationship with FRELIMO, many of you are young people and don’t know about your brothers. I started working with FRELIMO in 1967. By then, it had already been working for 5 years. Samuel Kankhomba was killed while I was in Mozambique and he was organizing an ambush against the Portuguese for us to see how it was done,”Museveni said.
“The day Mondlane was killed; I had an appointment with him to discuss another meeting with the students. On Upanga road, there was a fuel station but also a cafe where we were going to meet. I sat there for about two hours. He used to be punctual so, it was not normal. I got into the bus to go back after a long wait and when I got in, I heard people saying that the leader of Mozambique had been killed. The person I had been waiting for had been killed.”
The president said that he trained with several groups including five cadres part of whom was Martin Mwesigwa, another group of17, a third one of 43 people-mainly from Mbale but were disbanded by Samora Machel for drinking too much alcohol
“The fourth is where we got the group of the 28 at Montepuez which I led myself. There were some undisciplined ones but I controlled them. It is that group of 28 that became the foundation of our army. We are very grateful to FRELIMO and Mozambique because Uganda had become a failed state.”
“I’m happy we are strengthening our relationship with Mozambique. I want the Mozambican people to know themselves and know us their brothers. We have been brothers since 1964. I want to tell you people that we are very grateful because we are what we are because of FRELIMO and Mwalimu Nyerere from Tanzania. Mwalimu Nyerere and Samora Machel put a huge contribution to the stability of Uganda,” he said.
