Opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his wife Winnie Byanyima have been nominated to receive the Golden Jubilee Medal come September 26, at the Kampala Serena Hotel.
According to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, the ceremony which is usually presided over by President Yoweri Museveni is organized by the “Presidential Awards Committee in recognition to members of Parliament who have served the nation in different legislatures from the time of Uganda’s independence”.
Despite having actively participated in the 1981-86 NRA/NRM liberation struggle, former member of National Resistance Council and the Constituent Assembly, Besigye, has never been awarded any medal in recognition for his services unlike his contemporaries who received them by the multiples.
However, his wife Byanyima, former Mbarara Municipality MP, was among the legislators who were awarded the Nalubaale civilians medal and Rwenzori’s military personnel’s medal in 2010. She stands to be awarded again alongside Besigye.
FDC party president Mugisha Muntu was in 2013 alongside 96 others awarded the 50th Independence Golden Jubilee medals but he didn’t attend. It’s not yet clear whether Besigye and wife who are both currently out of the country will attend the ceremony.
Besigye fell out with Museveni and has since contested four times against Museveni in the presidential elections, though unsuccessfully. The last time the two came in close contact was during the 2015 visit of Pope Francis, where they shook hands at the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo.