President Museveni was yesterday awarded with the Global Peace Initiative accolade for his efforts to ensure peace in East Africa, Great Lakes region and Africa as a continent.
The function to award Museveni was presided over by Dr. Abeid Karume, the former president for Zanzibar and also the chairperson for the Africa Leadership Mission during the Global Peace Leadership Conference held at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo, Kampala on Thursday.
Speaking at the function, Dr.Karume applauded Museveni for his efforts to ensure peace and stability within the region which he said is a sign of a statesman character.
“You have shown the world the true example of a great leader by fighting for peace right from South Sudan, Somalia and other countries in the region,”Karume said.
Museveni in happy mood.
In his usual cheerful mood, the president took time to throw jabs at the West for asking him to consider homosexuality.
“These people, they kept telling, look into this thing. I was startled because in Africa it is a taboo” Museveni said
Various leaders applauded the Ugandan president of being at the forefront of seeing that instability in Burundi and Somalia comes to an end.
Uganda became the first African country to deploy its troops under the AMISOM in Somalia in 2007.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces(UPDF) is largest troop contributor of the 22,000 strong AMISOM force since 2007, contributing roughly 80 percent of the number and has played an integral role in chasing the Al Shabaab Islamic extremists from the capital Mogadishu.
The UPDF has also deployed in South Sudan during the peak of the war between government forces and the rebels loyal to Riek Machar.