President Museveni has urged the people of Nakasongola to live peacefully in harmony and stop fighting and killing each other over land.
“The reason I came here is because of the forest which I allowed to be degazetted, which I normally don’t do especially the natural forests. But because of the history of the Baruli persecution by the colonialists in collusion with some wrong elements from Mengo, we had to resolve that problem,” he said.
Museveni made these remarks, at the thanks giving ceremony that was organized by the Minister of Public Service, Mukasa Muruuli in at Nakayonza Church of Uganda Primary School in Lwabiyata sub-county in Nakasongola district on Sunday, where he was the Chief guest.
Museveni reminded the people of Nakasongola the two Biblical cardinal rules of loving God with your heart and might and loving your neighbor as you love yourself.
“Love God with all your heart and might and you will know that every human being is created in God’s image. You have no right to hate any human being and you cannot say you love your culture and hate the other,’ he told the congregation.
The minister, together with the people of Nakasongola were thanking the President for the developmental programs the NRM government has provided to the Baruli and especially for the 8 square miles of land degazetted by government from Kyarubanga forest in Lwabiyata sub-country in Nakasongola district.
Over 1,800 families are to benefit from the degazetted land for mainly agriculture. The ceremony was characterized by an Inter-religious service.
Museveni noted that the issue of the Baruli was a huge challenge, however NRM being blessed and always standing for the truth managed to sort out the problem that was almost tantamount to genocide on the part of the Baruli community.
“Let everybody enjoy his/her culture, the stand of the NRM is to cause you the Baruli to recover. When you were given a district, you were only 50,000 but today you are over 300,000 people in Nakasongola district. I am glad that NRM took a firm stand and the results are evident,” he said
He was later presented with ‘The Father of the Nation’ Award in recognition of his struggle to liberate the country as well as his able leadership.
The ceremony was also attended by the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Kirunda Kivejinja, Ministers, MPs, and cultural leaders among others.
The President later donated UGX10m to Nakayonza Church of Uganda
