Happy New Year!

The New Year is upon us. No doubt, Ugandans have woken up with great expectations.
Nonetheless, beneath this bubble of excitement runs mixed feelings of what the election year 2016 will bring. This is why the security agencies, politicians, and the common person should take time to reflect on our actions and what we desire for Uganda.
The easiest is to rally to our national call as countrymen and women.

Therefore, as we begin the New Year, let’s all renew our devotion to country and make Uganda a land of freedom. And in this common pursuit, not even the intense struggles between rivals for elective positions in the 2016 polls should diminish this resolve for unity.
Indeed, the February 18 elections should never force us to abandon our old fraternal ways because the polls will soon be over and we return to our struggles to put food on the table for families. This implies our future, without doubt, lies in our hands. But this can only be achieved when we stand together as citizens.

This demands both our leaders and voters alike live true to our country’s call – the national anthem. This song of devotion underscores our future lies in this in this country –Uganda. The New Year, therefore, should accord us a new dawn to echo our country’s creed of oneness –to coexist and live in peace and friendship.

Lest we forget, in our moments of excitement to usher in the New Year, the threat of terrorism still looms large. As we have warned before, the terrorists, as seen in several instances, take aim at soft targets that hit hardest. It has been the case in Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Of course, nothing has so far come of these warnings but this must not tempt us into a false sense of security. Even as we usher in the New Year with festivities, and cracking fireworks, let’s keep our guard up lest terrorists creep up on us.
In sum, let’s exercise caution in public places; including crowd-puller sports grounds, parks, hospitals, markets, fuel stations, and discotheques.
Happy New Year!