By Andrew Irumba
Presidential adviser on Special Operations Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has hailed President Yoweri Museveni for undertaking the historic 195KM Trek, and likened him to former Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi.
Muhoozi made the comparison on Monday morning when he tweeted thus;”Mzee’s historical March reminds of Mahatma Gandhi’s famous ‘March to the Sea’. The ‘March to the Sea’ was the beginning of the end for British Colonial rule in India. What does our March signify?”
While commenting about the trek, Museveni tweeted thus;
“This trek is just a portion of one of the Operations (the Kabaamba Operation). This was within the campaign of gun-raising. I personally, oversaw this operation, with Saleh as the Operational Commander of the force.”
Also part of the trek, codenamed Africa Kwetu, are war veterans, scouts, girl guides and well-wishers.
Saturday marked the first of six days of footing from Galamba in Wakiso to Birembo in Kibaale district, the end point.
It started at Kololo Independence Grounds on Friday, where all the participants, grouped in platoons, assembled for preliminary briefing, before setting off for Wakiso at St. Edward Secondary School, Galamba, where they would settle in for the night.
Various artistes, including Ragga Dee (Daniel Kazibwe), Hassan Ndugga, DJ Michael (Michael Mugwanya) and Full Figure camped at the school together with thousands other compatriots, with the start of the trek only hours away and continued with the trek until it will be concluded in Kibaale district.
Museveni is one of Africa’s longest-ruling leaders. He seized power in 1986 after taking part in rebellions to end the rule of Idi Amin and Milton Obote, and is expected to seek a sixth term in office in elections due in 2021. Critics dismissed the march as an attempt to rally support ahead of the poll.
He is however facing an election challenge from MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, a pop star turned leading opposition politician, who appeals to a youthful population that has only ever known one president.
