Uganda, on October 9, 2026, celebrated its 64th Independence Day, decades after the white man vacated the Pearl of Africa. I congratulate my country people; those who still breathe, and honour the lives of our friends and family members whom we have lost along the way.

The very first ever Independence Day celebration, which happened at Kololo Independence Grounds in 1962, saw the Union Jack lowered, paving the way for the Ugandan Flag to fly freely in her beautiful skies, an event that put an end to British colonial rule.

The locals who attended such a lifetime event must have been elated, existing at a time when their country was born. So, we who live today must reflect on the journey trodden in relation to the past. In so doing, we set a precedent for those who will survive after us to equally determine if we played our part in pushing our nation forward or not.

According to the Daily Monitor, our first-ever Prime Minister, Dr Apollo Milton Obote, introduced a rather nationalistic slogan which called for national unity. “We are of Uganda and Uganda is ours’’ during his maiden speech on the night of October 8, 1962.

So, to what extent have we sailed in this hopefulness? We have to date had people who think that the country is theirs alone, or rather, that they should enjoy it more than any other citizen. These have since become the country’s biggest challenge.

We pride ourselves on beautiful tourist attractions such as lakes, rivers, mountains and the source of the Nile. Visitors who have visited us have appreciated the good taste of our food, especially matooke, which is our staple food in some of our communities.

I will not forget our beautiful women, whom we categorise differently. Some are our sisters, mothers and our beautiful wives. Every man who has married from Uganda knows the secret in our women, but I will reserve this discussion for another day. But then, what else do we have to show?

Is this the Uganda we wish to be in today? What have we got in return? Absence of war does not mean peace. Amidst such positivity, we have not reached where we ought to be. We used to offer aid to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the 1970s. The UAE has since developed, leaving us behind.

We have now become a shadow of our former self, seeking the same aid that we used to provide. This comes from America and other able countries, as evidenced in our annual national budget, where most of the money therein is borrowed.

Relatedly, fuel, rent, foodstuffs, and the standards of living, in general, especially in the cities, have become much more expensive. The local man can no longer live to enjoy the fruits of his grandfathers, who fought in the liberation wars to have our country ruled by its own citizens.

As we continue to celebrate our country’s independence, we should reflect on our shortcomings with an effort to do better. “The narrow ambitions of a tribe, a sect, or a party must be subordinated to the greater needs of a complete Uganda.” This remark by Dr Obote must be our guiding principle to achieve our desired goal as a nation. Then we shall be able to reap from the national fruit, with each receiving his or her share.