HAPPY HEROES DAY KEMBOGO
Celebrating Heroes Day 09 June 26 at Kembogo
Distinguished Guests Political and Local Leaders present, esteemed Veterans, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome. Today we gather here to Commemorate National Heroes Day. We are here to pay our deepest respect to the gallant men and women who paid the supreme sacrifice to free our Motherland from the grip of oppression and colonial domination.
The meaning of Heroes Day
We look back at the extraordinary courage of our fallen soldiers and local communities who refused to give up their hideouts, even when faced with the threat of death. Their unwavering dedication shaped our nation. The peace, stability and independence we enjoy today was earned through their spilled blood and tireless efforts. Celebrating Heroes day here at Kembogo should not be a mere date on the calendar. It should be a reminder that peace is not accidental. It is earned. It is defended. In addition, it must be protected.
Brief Memory (Told by Gen SS)
The operational reconstruction of the Battle of Kembogo (June 21, 1985) as we commemorate today is national Heroes' day celebration at Kembogo
. I. THE STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT & REALIGNMENT
The victory at Kembogo was the direct result of a calculated psychological trap that exploited the enemy's overconfidence.
The Western Front Maneuver:
Following, the January victory at Kabamba, the dispatch of the 17th Battalion and non-effective personnel to the Rwenzori under Deputy Army Commander Fred Rwigyema was a masterstroke. It relieved the Mobile Brigade of logistical burdens on the central front and forced Kampala to split its forces to manage the panic in the west.
The Special Brigade Pursuit:
Despite the split, LTC. John Ogole's elite Special Brigade heavily backed by heavy artillery, mortars, APCs, and helicopter gunships maintained a relentless chase under direct orders from Brigadier Smith Opon Acak to "clear the Luwero Triangle once and for all."
The Selection of Kembogo:
The choice to halt the retreat at Kembogo an unconventional, open terrain dominated by six-foot elephant grass completely blindsided Ogole. The rearguard actions under JO Il Rwabwisho had successfully convinced the UNLA that the Mobile Brigade was fleeing in disarray toward the Mayanja River. Capitalizing on this specific psychological vulnerability to stand and fight.
II. OPERATIONAL TIMELINE & FORCE DEPLOYMENT (JUNE 20-21, 1985)
The tactical sequence of that Thursday remains a textbook demonstration of absolute fire discipline under fire.
1. Defensive Posture (Night of June 20)
Per strict orders, the brigade dug shell scrapes through the night to neutralize the enemy's incoming artillery advantage:
The Frontline: Bamwesigye’s 3rd Battalion dug in across Bukomero track
The Reserve: One Battalion was positioned behind to reinforce breaches.
Flank & HQ Security: 5th Battalion secured the perimeter and the command post.
2. The Fire Ambush (10:00 AM, June 21)
The UNLA opened with a relentless, hour-long artillery barrage. Because the men were well-concealed in the shell scrapes, casualties were minimal. Crucially, the silence from our lines convinced Ogole that his bombardment had succeeded. • At 10:00 AM, the UNLA advanced carelessly in three noisy columns, singing and shouting. • Under strict doctrine of fire discipline, the 3r Battalion held fire until the leading company entered the point-blank killing zone. • The opening volley of machine-gun fire and RPGs killed 50 UNLA soldiers instantly. Our fighters immediately charged forward, recovering 44 rifles and 5 fully loaded machine guns.
3. Defending the Flank and HQ
When the UNLA reorganized and launched a fierce, two-hour counter-attack under heavy mortar fire, the 1st Battalion moved up to reinforce Lumumba's line. Simultaneously, a hidden enemy force attempted an outflanking maneuver to strike the Headquarters directly.
I ordered James Kazini to deploy the 5th Battalion. JO lI 'China' Mafundo's company met them at point-blank range meters from the position. The enemy's will broke completely; Kazini recorded that they were shot "as if they were bewitched or never knew how to operate their weapons."
4. The General Charge (4:00 PM)
By mid-afternoon, the enemy's spirit was crushed. Commander Patrick Lumumba triggered the general counter-offensive, rallying the men for an infantry charge. The ragged, exhausted Mobile Brigade chased the fleeing remnants of the Special Brigade all the way to Bukomero
The Cost of Freedom: By dusk, the UNLA left between 200 and 300 dead on the battlefield and during the rout. The NRA lost 23 brave fighters, including the valiant JO Il Kanyaihamba.
III. THE HISTORICAL LEGACY (WHY KEMBOGO TODAY MATTERS
This section provides the direct linkage between the ground where we stand tomorrow and the birth of modern Uganda.
The "El Alamein" of Uganda: In the history of conventional warfare, Kembogo holds the same weight as Montgomery's victory over Rommel at El Alamein. It was the definitive watershed event. As MG James Kazini later summarized: "After Kembogo, we stopped being guerrillas, we were free people." It marked the irreversible transition of the NRA from a bush guerrilla movement into a conventional army.
The Collapse of the Regime: The psychological blow of Kembogo directly triggered the downfall of the Obote government. That night, LTC. Eric Odwar radioed Ogole with a single message: Special Brigade had met with a "catastrophe." The bitter, defeated Acholi soldiers returned to Kampala with mutiny on their minds, culminating in the July 27 coup just 36 days later. Kembogo broke the spine of the dictatorship and cleared the path to January 1986.
TRANSFORMING KEMBOGO WETLAND TO WISE USE MODEL (ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AQUA CULTURE PARK) The wetlands in Uganda are vast, complex and extremely important ecosystems.
The Uganda vision 2040 which aims at transforming the current peasant economy to a modern economy recognizes the contribution of Natural Resources including wetlands to the National development and peoples livelihoods especially those living in rural areas.
Wetlands are essential for human health and prosperity. They provide us with fresh water, ensure our food supply, sustain biodiversity, protect against flooding, and store carbon dioxide. As a major source of employment globally, they are also ideally placed to showcase truly sustainable livelihoods.
However, in the recent years wetlands have been massively drained for agricultural activities and human settlement. This has from 1980 to date.
This has not only reduced wetland coverage and functionality but has also resulted in negative consequences like floods, increased incidences of water borne diseases, infectious disease, unreliable rainfall patterns and siltation of major river systems and lakes.
Previously, wetland restoration projects have been focused on fish, wildlife, and biodiversity, but the current approach of restoration is emphasizing the value of wetlands for the services they provide to people. For wetland restoration to be scaled up in a way that significantly contributes to both biodiversity and human wellbeing, the value of wetlands as natural infrastructure must be realized.
In our efforts to enhance awareness about the value of wetlands to people, Operation Wealth Creation in partnership with Masheda Farms Ltd, China Uganda Development Club, MAAIF, MOLHUD, MoTIC, Farmed Fish particularly, is establishing an Aqua culture park here at Katwe Village, Katalama Parish, Dwaniro Subcounty in Kiboga District, which moved Ghetto Youth team from Masheda and Lugala to this area. To enable them to start income generating projects like fish farming.
This is based in the wetland wise use model 5 principles namely, activities being undertaken must be in line with the National Legal frameworks, must be correctly located, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable described by the Ministry of water and environment.
Therefore, true heroism today extends beyond the battlefield. It lives within the youth learning practical skills, the farmers improving their yields through modern practices and our communities uniting for national progress. Let us honor our ancestors not just by words but also with promise to work tirelessly to eradicate poverty and build a prosperous future.
As we go forward, let us remember that the struggle for development continues. Let us protect the peace we have fought so hard to achieve and remain united as one people. May the memory of our Heroes continue to serve as our light and inspiration.
God bless you all and Happy Heroes Day.