By Aggrey Baba
Uganda will mark its 64th Independence Day in a radically different format this year after Government decided to hold the main celebrations virtually at State House, with only selected dignitaries and a few religious leaders expected to attend physically.
The decision means that the wider public and most invited guests will follow the October 9 celebrations online, in a departure from the large national gatherings that have previously characterized the country’s Independence Day. ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba announced the arrangement on Tuesday at the Uganda Media Centre while presenting Cabinet decisions on the upcoming national celebrations.
This year’s Independence Day will be held under the theme, “Embracing Our Sovereignty with Hope and Visionary Leadership.”
The minister said the virtual arrangement will also spare Government the heavy spending normally associated with organizing a major national celebration, revealing that previous events had cost more than UGX3 billion, each.
She explained that the 2026 celebration will instead use the existing State House system and media platforms, meaning that Government does not expect to incur any extra cost for the main event.
According to her, the arrangement will be similar to the way other national functions have recently been conducted at State House, with only a small number of people attending physically while the media ensures wider public access.
She cited the national celebrations for older persons held on October 1 as an example, saying only about 20 people attended physically and the event was conducted using existing resources without an additional budget. Lumumba said that the same approach will be applied to Independence Day.
“There is no extra cost expected. The arrangements already available to State House will be used for the celebrations,” she said.
The Minister was responding to questions about how much Government expects to save by moving the Independence Day celebrations online and what would happen to the money that would otherwise have been spent on the event, saying the resources would instead be used by the responsible ministry to meet some of its unfunded priorities.
The decision therefore means that rather than being spent on the logistics of a large Independence Day gathering, part of the money previously associated with the celebrations will be redirected to other Government programmes.
Hon Kasule Lumumba, however, said she could not give details of the possible expenditure on separate prayer activities that may be organized by different religious institutions, since those arrangements had not been presented to Cabinet.
The virtual Independence Day celebration will nevertheless be accompanied by another national commemoration taking place physically in eastern Uganda.
The fifth national commemoration of Bishop Hannington Day will be held on October 9 at Kyando Hill in Mayuge District, with President Museveni expected to attend as the chief guest.
Bishop James Hannington, an Anglican missionary, was killed in 1885 while travelling towards Buganda, and his death has since been commemorated by the Church of Uganda.
For this year’s October 9 celebrations, however, the format will be considerably smaller, with State House serving as the main venue and the media and online platforms providing the connection between the ceremony and the wider public. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
