Uganda got her independence on the 9th /October 1962 with late Dr. Apollo Milton Obote as the president then. This year’s Independence Day was on a Wednesday and New Hope Uganda also closed the offices and remembered it. All children and staff gathered at the church premises at 9:00am. We started with a short prayer from the primary school headmaster Simon Katabazi followed by singing of the Ugandan National Anthem while Nakabugo Fiona of Primary Six was hoisting the flag. Also the Kasana Anthem was sung and some praise and worship songs led by students in Scripture Union glorifying God as we were marking 51 years of independence. Primary school social studies teacher Mr. Berwanaho Clive reminded us of what happened on that day in 1962. He talked about the Uganda coat of arms and the Uganda flag as they are one of the symbols of Uganda as a nation.
Co-founder and Ministry Coordinator Jonnes Bakimi shared a message about identity crisis. He said that we should learn to appreciate our identity. We shouldn’t just fake it with culture, tribe, skin colour, size, and wealth etc but our identity should be in Christ ALONE. After hearing the message, we broke into small groups and prayed for our country asking God to deliver Uganda from diseases, ignorance and poverty as these are the root cause of instabilities in Uganda. We shared lunch together and winded up with a variety of volley ball games including one where the Ugandan staff members competed against the Western Staff members. It was great fun.
Long live Uganda “For God and my country”.
By Katabazi Simon, Essubuii Eppya Primary School (EEVPS) Headmaster
Compiled by Namuswe Florence, EEVPS