The exceptional elders were awarded during the National Mentorship Day Awards ceremony held at State House Entebbe on Thursday 18th September 2025.
These included prominent industrialists, farmers, activists, educationalists, religious leaders, philanthropists, health workers, intellectuals, and lawyers such as Dr. Miria Matembe, Justice James Ogola, Dr. Ian Clarke, Dr. Gordon Wavamuno, Mzee Aga Sekalala, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala and Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa.
Others included, Mzee Robert Walimbwa, Mzee William Mukaira, Mr. Erukana Ssegane and Dr. Stephen Rwangyezi.
The event brought together student leaders, youth, among others with the aim of inspiring and enabling them to emulate model personalities in the nation.
In his speech, President Museveni congratulated the awardees for being recognized because of the great work they have done for Uganda.
“I want to thank Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo and the committee for identifying these elders who have contributed to their country in different areas. All these are contributing from different angles to their country,” he explained.
“This is exactly what we were fighting for. In the years after independence, there was so much intolerance here and threat to life that many of these people ran away. Not only we the fighters but even all these people like the industrialists, intellectuals had to run away but now everybody is here. All the different opinions are here, and they are all contributing in their different ways. This is very good.”
President Museveni however, noted that the only challenge for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government now is to bring out the core issues of the four principles of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic Transformation and democracy.
“The NRM should always point out its synthesis of the basic issues that we think will guarantee our future,” he said.
The President also called upon the young people to always work along with the elders for the good of Uganda.
“You the young people, nobody should tell you that everything old must go away, you will be making a very big mistake but also the old people should not insist on everything staying the same.
Some of the things have to change in order to be rational or reasonable.”
The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda hailed President Museveni for inviting them to the National Mentorship Day luncheon and noted that the event was not only historic but also symbolic.
“It underscores the values and principles that you as our chief mentor have unwaveringly championed throughout your leadership of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic Transformation and democracy,” she said.
“This meeting gives us an opportunity to draw inspiration from your wisdom, guidance and revolutionary ideas.”
Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, the patron of the National Mentorship Day Awards revealed why the program mainly focuses on awarding elders who have had an indelible mark on the development of Uganda.
“In a country where the majority of the people are young, you need a base or a seed bed, raw materials and right soil where leaders spring from. It’s more than positions, I’m more concerned about the thinking because thinking for me is very profound,” he said.
“I went to school with no textbooks, like many of us of our generation, at a very difficult time in our country but I was nurtured by the best teachers in those schools, and I made it. Good teachers help you pass exams; great teachers teach you how to think and elder people for me, they serve and retire in silence, yet they carry with them a lot of knowledge and experience that need to be tapped into by the young in order to do better.”
Mr. Rwabwogo who also serves as the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties noted that as Ugandans, different generations need to combine efforts and work together for the nation’s development.
“Many young people don’t know their history, the history of their country because they don’t ask old people or read anymore; they are on their phones,” he stated.
“We need to teach the young people to know that there’s nothing durable, nothing of significance, nothing of importance that can be done by one person or one generation. You have to combine efforts and therefore we need to create space for that discussion to happen.”
He further thanked President Museveni for supporting the Mentorship Awards program which has been running for three years.
Mr. Matthew Bagonza, one of the coordinators of the initiative said the session is meant to honor those whose leadership, resilience and guidance have shaped the nation.
“And by shining a light on exemplary figures, this initiative reminds the public that mentorship is not an abstract idea but a practical course that strengthens families, communities and the country’s future,” he said.
