President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has praised the late Gen. Aronda Nyakairima for his transformative impact on Uganda’s voter identification system, which has been a cornerstone of the country’s democracy and stability.
President Museveni made the remarks yesterday during the memorial thanksgiving ceremony for the late Gen. Aronda, held at the Commonwealth Resort, Munyonyo.
Earlier on, the ceremony was preceded by a service officiated by All Saints Cathedral, Kampala, and led by Rt. Rev. Onesmus Asiimwe, the Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, with assistance from Rt. Rev. Emeritus Patrick Tugume.
This event marked the final day of a three-day 2024 Kampala Defence and Security Expo, which commenced on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
The expo was held under the theme: “Celebrating the Life of Hon. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima; A Paragon of Revolutionary Sacrifice, Pan-Africanism, Patriotism, Courage, and an Accomplished Freedom Fighter”.
According to President Museveni, when he appointed Gen. Aronda Minister of Internal Affairs, he tackled a problem that had plagued Uganda since independence; the accurate identification of Ugandans, particularly voters.
He highlighted that the 1962 elections were marred by widespread fraud orchestrated by the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) and Kabaka Yekka.
“Each party had its own box, and voters were secretly directed to fill boxes in favour of UPC. The boxes, marked with symbols like the hoe for DP and a finger for Kabaka Yekka, were manipulated to ensure results favoured the UPC. This level of deceit undermined the entire electoral process, making MPs unaccountable and indifferent to their constituents,” he noted.
Following Amin’s removal in 1979, President Museveni said his group sought to reform this corrupt system.
“Despite our efforts to introduce transparent practices like one ballot box per polling station and public voting, cheating persisted with multiple registrations and fake ballot papers,” he explained.
While in power, the President introduced the idea of electronic voting with fingerprint identification, a concept he proposed two decades ago, in order to combat the vice.
“Fingerprints are unique; Gen. Muhoozi’s fingerprints are different from mine,” President Museveni noted. Initially met with scepticism, the President said the technology was refined through a partnership between Uganda and a German company, which proposed scanning the entire hand to ensure accuracy.
He added that although the machines were procured, a legal loophole allowed manual voting if the machines failed.
“The law must be amended to state that if the electronic system fails, elections at that polling station should be suspended. Aronda’s efforts were significant, but the law still left room for cheating.”
President Museveni also praised Gen. Aronda’s discipline and the significance of the culture of remembering contributions of such exceptional people.
“Thank you, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the Ministry for organising this remembrance for Aronda. This remembrance is crucial for justice and education, providing a forum for retired and serving officers to unite,” he said.
“I salute those who organised this remembrance ceremony. This is a good culture because it does justice to those who sacrificed, so people get to know what they did. We have now done justice to Gen. Aronda. Additionally, people who were not there get to learn about what the departed did; it is an education for all. Lastly, it creates a forum where retired, still-serving, and young officers come together,” he added.
Reflecting on divine intervention, President Museveni expressed that while not everything is due to God, improvements in healthcare measures have increased life expectancy to 65 years in the country.
He recounted how Gen. Aronda’s undiagnosed heart condition led to his suffering during a conference trip, highlighting the need for better healthcare.
“Aronda and his peers rejuvenated the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and reinforced the NRA’s principle of strategic relationship with the people,” he noted.
He also acknowledged the success of Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative, which Gen. Aronda significantly advanced, turning it into a major institution.
“Then Wazalendo, I don’t know what happened. We had talked about this Wazalendo for a long time, and it was not being implemented.
The present leadership in UPDF should find out why Wazalendo had not taken off yet. We had talked about it a long time, but Aronda came and really jump-started it. It’s now a very big bank,” he noted.
Mrs. Linda Aronda, the widow of the late Gen. Aronda, reflected on her husband’s remarkable life and legacy. She shared intimate insights into their life together and the indelible impact Gen. Aronda had on both his family and the nation.
Mrs. Aronda reminisced about their early years, saying, “In the 1990s, I met a young Aronda, then a Major. From the very start, he was a dedicated officer at the Presidential Protection Unit, now known as the Special Forces Command. Even during our courtship, his commitment to his work was unwavering.”
“Despite his demanding role, he always made time for our relationship. There were times during our dates when he would receive urgent calls to return to work. He would promptly drop me home and head back to his duties. Our bond deepened, leading to our marriage in 1996 and the birth of our two wonderful children, Samuel and Samantha,” she added.
Mrs. Aronda also spoke about the challenges of balancing family life with a military career.
“After our marriage, he was transferred to Masaka’s Armored Brigade, which meant our family saw little of him. However, whenever he returned home, he made it a priority to spend quality time with me and the children, despite his hectic schedule.”
“Even with his packed schedule, he always tried to be present for us. Although he couldn’t attend school events frequently, he made those moments special when he could. His honesty, patience, and kindness were evident to all who knew him.”
She further emphasised Gen. Aronda’s work ethic and his message to the youth.
“His dedication was immense, often working nearly around the clock, especially on crucial projects like the ID initiative. His message to the youth was always clear: -Success comes from diligence and effort. You have to work hard to achieve anything.”
In conclusion, Mrs. Aronda expressed her gratitude to the President and UPDF for the support rendered towards their family.
“We are immensely grateful to the UPDF and President Museveni for their unwavering support to our family. Their kindness has provided us with comfort and stability.”
In attendance of the memorial thanksgiving ceremony were the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Jacob Oboth Oboth; Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces; Ms. Rosette Byengoma, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs; Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, the Commissioner General of Prisons; service commanders; retired generals; service chiefs of staff; and the family of the late Gen. Aronda.
Biography:
The Late Gen. Aronda Nyakairima was born on July 7, 1959, to the late Mr. Jeremiah and the late Gla-Idys Nyakairima of Rukungiri District.
He attended Katojo Primary School, Lubiri Secondary School, and Kitgum High School for his primary and secondary education.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science from Makerere University in 1981 and joined the Protracted People’s Struggle in 1982.
He was commissioned in 1986 to the rank of JO2 and served through the ranks to General, the rank he held until his death. Military Courses Attended: • Senior Strategic Course, Egypt, 1999 • CGSC, USA, 1993 JCSC, Jinja • OBC, Intake 01/89, Bombo • International Security Course, UK, 1987
Aronda’s notable career began in the military, where he served with distinction as the Army Commander from June 2003 to October 2005.
His strategic acumen was further demonstrated as the Overall Commander of Operation Iron Fist from May 2002 to June 2003, a crucial period in the nation’s defence operations.
Transitioning from military to political leadership, Gen. Aronda was a prominent figure in the 8th and 9th Parliaments as a Member of Parliament representing UPDF from November 2005 to April 2013.
His leadership continued as he was appointed Chief of Defence Forces, a role he held from 2003 to 2013.
In 2013, Gen. Aronda took on the role of Minister of Internal Affairs, representing UPDF, and continued to serve the nation until his passing on September 12, 2015.
