By Kobusiinge Monica
Kampala: Cuban Embassy in Kampala last night celebrated 60 years of Uganda’s diplomacy and warm relations which were officially established in early 1970s to date as witnessed by the maintained embassies in each other’s capitals.
And for that note, the Cuban Ambassador to Uganda Her Excellency Tania Perez on Wednesday 25 October 2023 hosted high profile guests including; H.E Elizabeth Musaazi, Uganda’s ambassador to Cuba, representatives from European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, Uganda Council on Foreign Affairs who were treated to a high end dinner in the hills of Mbuya, the home of Cuban Ambassador to Uganda.
The only invite event was also graced by other dignitaries including; Andrew Irumba Katusabe a renown Pan-Africanist and investigative journalist who is the Founding speaker and Chairman Of the Pan-African Pyramid, a non government organization based in Uganda and CEO Spy Uganda, Thomas Lesaffre, a freelance journalist and researcher from France, David Mafabi , a senior presidential advisor on special duties under State house among other diplomats.
Why Celebrate the 60 years Journey
Speaking during the event, Amb. Tania Perezi noted that the celebration was done to officially commend President Museveni for his leadership and the transformative journey that has seen the two countries carry on with the bilateral relations even after the demise of the Cuba’s former leader El Comandante Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz.
Adding his voice to the celebrations, Andrew Irumba commended Fidel Castro who was on August 26, 2023 posthumously awarded as the Most Distinguished Pan-Africanist Of All Times by the Pan-African Pyramid (under Irumba’s stewardship) at their 6th edition of the awards held in Kampala.
Irumba re-echoed that Africa and Uganda in particular has immensely benefited from the rise of Fidel Castro as leader of Cuba further noting that Castro’s contribution to the liberation struggles on the African continent in the past will be remembered forever.
Further more, Cuba has heavily invested in medical human resource support, by sending its senior medical personnel to Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) to share knowledge and skills with the Uganda Doctors which remains significant in Uganda’s health sector.
Irumba further noted that Cuba’s involvement in African battles at the time saw more than 4,300 Cuban forces loose their lives on the battle front in African conflicts with half of them in Angola alone making Cuba one of the biggest contributors to Africa’s liberation struggle.
Irumba thus concluded that Cuba has been under embargo by America since March 14, 1958, and one of the reasons though not officially mentioned is its brotherly relations with Africa.
Its worth remembering that on several occasions, the president of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has hailed Cuba’s role in the anti-imperialism struggle, singling out the country’s former leader Fidel Alejandro Castro’s contribution to Uganda and Africa at large.
The President’s recent remarks were conveyed in his speech to the G-77 summit held in Cuba’s capital Havana and attracted participants from 114 countries under the theme; the Importance of Science, Technology and Innovation to the Developing Countries.”
“I salute the heroic role of the Cuban People and Party in the anti-Imperialist struggle, especially your role in Angola,” President Museveni said in his speech that was delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo at the summit in September 2023.
The President also commended the Cuban government for sending doctors that “helped us to start the now famous Mbarara University of Science and Technology with four of its first five members of staff coming from Havana”
“We tell them that man, from the beginning, was uniquely designed to be a science discoverer. Why? It is on account of the 3 characteristics of man, as homo Sapein Sapien. These are: a hand that can hold tools and do work; a superior brain with many convolutions of the cortex; and bipedalism – ability to walk on two legs and, therefore, liberating the head to think and the eyes to see far,” the president said.
“It is, therefore, suicidal for any country to lag behind in Science and technology. The phenomena of slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, etc., were all due to Africa lagging behind in science and technology, a mistake reinforced by other weaknesses (sectarianism, poor organization, etc.). Therefore, Uganda is not about to repeat that mistake. That is why we emphasize science education and our government supports many scientific innovations by our Scientists.” he added.
Cuba has a reputation for having a strong healthcare system, and Uganda has benefited from Cuban medical expertise with several Ugandan students having received scholarships to study in Cuba, particularly in the field of medicine.
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