President Yoweri Museveni has confirmed the return of former army officer Colonel Samson Mande from exile, describing it as a sign of the enduring peace and reconciliation that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has maintained in Uganda.
In his Independence Day message shared on X, Museveni praised Ugandans and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for upholding peace across the country, which he said continues to make national progress possible.
He attributed the country’s stability to the NRM’s long-standing policy of forgiveness and reconciliation, alongside its firm stance against crime.
“Even today, I am happy to welcome back into the peaceful Uganda, Col. Samson Mande who had fled into exile on account of, apparently, some internal intrigue. While in exile, he tried to engage in some rebel activities. When our cadres contacted him in Sweden, he happily agreed to come back and disconnect himself from the rebel activities," Museveni wrote.
Museveni recalled Mande’s contribution to the liberation struggle, noting that he served as a volunteer scout in 1979 under the Task Force Division of the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force, commanded by Major General Silas Mayunga.
He also hailed Mande’s later role as commander of the 15th Battalion during the 1985 Siege of Masaka.
The President’s message comes as Uganda marked its 63rd Independence anniversary, with Museveni emphasizing peace as the foundation of the country’s progress.
In a lighter tone, he noted that even the country’s leading newspapers, including The New Vision and Daily Monitor, had “shocked themselves” by publishing reports highlighting the achievements of the NRM government.
Mande’s return marks one of several reconciliations Museveni has pursued in recent years with former rebels and exiled political figures.