Every September 25, Mozambique observes Armed Forces Day, also known as Revolution Day.
This day commemorates the beginning of Mozambique’s War of Independence in 1964 (60 years ago), an armed conflict between the country’s guerrilla forces and colonial power Portugal. The day is marked with military parades, demonstrations, and the awarding of medals to remarkable military heroes.
Historic Relationship
Notably, Uganda and Mozambique share a history through the friendship of Mozambican founding president Samora Machel and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
This relationship is well-documented in President Museveni’s writings and public speeches.
For instance, in his daughter Patience’s book, “Jesus’ Africa,” President Yoweri Museveni notes in the foreword: “By some coincidence, my children were born on dates of either global or national importance.” He recalls that at the time of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s birth on April 24, 1974, “Early the following day, I excitedly rang His Excellency Samora Machel to tell him the good news about my family.”
President Museveni reveals that Samora, who later became Mozambique’s founding president, was at the time busy listening to radio news from Lisbon, Portugal, where a revolution against the Fascist Government of Marcel Caetano was taking place.
Gen Muhoozi was born just a day before the Portuguese Revolution, which initiated the collapse of the Portuguese Empire in Africa that had lasted 500 years.
As President Museveni says, this revolution was a great victory for African anti-colonial fighters in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, and the islands of Sao Tome and Principe.
“The independence of Mozambique in 1975 was decisive for our struggle in Uganda,” Gen Museveni says in the book.
“Although Frelimo, at Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s request, had trained three batches of officers from our group, Fronasa, the most useful was the one I directly supervised while training at Montepuez between 1976 and 1978. It is that group of 28+1 that created the Fronasa Army of 1979 and, eventually, the NRA (National Resistance Army) and UPDF (Uganda People’s Defence Forces).”
Gen Kainerugaba Rekindles Relationship
Gen Kainerugaba’s visit to Mozambique on this important day rekindles the sentiments expressed by President Museveni.
The Ugandan General, who is the Chief of Defence Forces of the UPDF and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, was accompanied by UPDF Marines Commander Brig Gen Michael Nyarwa and Military Police Commander Brig Gen William Bainomugisha. The high-level UPDF delegation demonstrates commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between Kampala and Maputo.
The Mozambican Armed Forces Day usually starts with the honouring of fallen heroes at the Heroes Square in the capital Maputo.
Indeed, as the celebrations began, early on Wednesday, Gen Kainerugaba interacted with African military chiefs at Heroes Square, laying a wreath on Samora Machel’s tombstone. He then joined the main celebrations, presided over by President Jacinto Nyusi, who awarded medals to several military personnel.
The guests then witnessed military exhibitions by Mozambican Marine Forces, Air Force, and other military capabilities.
President Nyusi later hosted the top African military chiefs from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Lesotho, Eswatini, and other South African nations and beyond at a luncheon featuring local traditional music dancers.
Growing bilateral relations
It should be noted that less than a fortnight ago, Uganda and Mozambique signed a non-visa waiver agreement during the Joint Permanent Commission meeting in Kampala, another gesture that the relationship between the two countries is growing.
