President Yoweri Museveni has won this year’s Africa Liberation Prize conferred by the African Liberation Award Committee at a meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in October 2017.
The prize has previously been conferred on former Tanzanian President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia both in 2014.
President Museveni was recognised for his impeccable Pan-African credentials, contribution to liberation struggles, regional integration, peace and security in Africa.
“His consistent contribution and commitment to regional integration and the East African Community in particular since 1993 todate, and his lifetime Pan -African outlook in and outside Africa were considered,” the committee said.
“The African Liberation Award Committee that met in October 2017 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, unanimously voted for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as winner of the 2017 Africa Liberation Prize,” the Committee Chairperson Dr. George Nangale said in a press statement dated December 29th, 2017.
According to Dr. Nangale the Africa Liberation Prize is conferred by the African Liberation Award Committee which, given its rules and points of reference, choses the winner who satisfactorily meets the attributes.
Part of President Museveni’s contribution to Africa’s liberation include his effective contribution to Uganda’s liberation in the 1970s and 1980s from tyrannical regimes, and presiding over the country’s stability.
The committee noted
President Museveni’s leadership of democratic governance accenting to competitive multi-party dispensation that could not be dreamt of in the 1970s and early 80s.
President Museveni was also voted for his exemplary role in peace keeping initiatives in Liberia, Somalia, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.
Uganda was the first African country to deploy forces to struggle for peace and security of Somalia and has maintained the largest AMISOM contingent todate.
“This award is for Africa, it is a recognized award on the continent. It is set to recognize contributions and initiatives towards African Liberation within and outside Africa. Award winners include African statesmen, Liberation struggle veterans, peacekeepers and other individuals. This is a memorable mark for future generations to emulate,” Dr. Nangale explained.
In May 1963, 32 independent African states met in Addis Ababa, founded the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and established the Liberation Committee of the new organization, charging it with the duty of coordinating the liberation struggle in those parts of Africa still under colonial rule.
The OAU Liberation Committee was hosted in Dar es Salaam by the government of Tanzania, at the invitation of the founding President, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere. The 2017 Africa Liberation Prize will be conferred on President Museveni at a date to be communicated. it