By Spy Uganda
Uganda’s Pan-African community, friends of Cuba and members of the Uganda-Cuba Solidarity Movement have joined the Cuban Embassy in Kampala to commemorate the centenary of the birth of former Cuban leader and revolutionary icon Fidel Castro Ruz.
The commemorative event, held at the Embassy of Cuba in Kampala on last week, brought together Cuban diplomats, Pan-African activists, former Ugandan military officers, Cuba-trained Ugandans and other friends of Cuba to reflect on Castro’s political legacy and his contribution to African liberation struggles.
Castro was born on August 13, 1926, in Birán, Cuba, and died on November 25, 2016, aged 90. He led Cuba from 1959 until 2008 and remained one of the most influential and controversial figures in 20th-century international politics.
Speaking during the commemoration, Cuban Ambassador to Uganda Juan Humberto Macías Pino described Castro as a leader whose commitment to international solidarity extended beyond Cuba and was particularly significant to Africa.
The ambassador highlighted Cuba’s medical missions, educational programmes and military assistance to African countries, arguing that the country’s relationship with Africa was rooted in a shared history and commitment to liberation.
According to the ambassador, Cuba’s first major medical mission to Africa was sent to Algeria in 1963, after the country gained independence from France. He said Cuban doctors have since served in numerous countries, including in remote communities where access to healthcare was limited.
The ambassador also pointed to Cuba’s involvement in African liberation struggles, particularly in Angola, where Cuban forces fought alongside Angolan forces during the country’s civil war.
He said thousands of Cubans participated in internationalist missions in Africa, with some losing their lives while supporting liberation movements and newly independent states.
“For Fidel, supporting Africa was settling a historical debt with one of the fundamental roots of Cuban identity,” the ambassador said.
He noted that the historical ties between Cuba and Africa were strengthened by the forced movement of Africans to Cuba during the colonial era and subsequent links forged through the liberation struggles of the 20th century.
Pan-African Movement Praises Cuba
Daniel Rugerama, Chairman of the Pan African Movement Uganda Chapter and Chairman of the Uganda-Cuba Solidarity Movement, described Fidel Castro as a major figure in the global struggle for social justice, sovereignty and liberation.
Rugerama said Cuba’s support for African liberation movements was significant because, according to him, Havana provided military, medical and technical assistance without seeking territorial control or economic concessions.
He particularly highlighted Cuba’s role in Angola and the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale, which he said contributed to the eventual independence of Namibia and the weakening of apartheid in South Africa.
“Cuba gave what no other nation was willing to give, the blood of its sons and daughters, its medical expertise and its unyielding revolutionary commitment,” Rugerama said.
He also criticised the continued US economic embargo against Cuba, describing it as an unfair burden on the Cuban people.
Rugerama called for an end to the US blockade and urged greater international solidarity with Cuba.
He further announced plans for public awareness campaigns, media outreach and parliamentary engagements as part of activities to mark Castro’s centenary.
Former UPDF Officer Links Cuba To Military Career
The event also featured remarks from a retired Ugandan military officer Colonel Ba-hoku Barigye who reflected on how his experience in Cuba influenced his life and subsequent military career.
The former officer, who said he had officially retired from the UPDF at the rank of Colonel after 37 years and eight months of service, revealed that he studied in Cuba between 1982 and 1988.
He said his time in Cuba significantly changed his understanding of politics, discipline and national service.
He recalled reading Castro’s famous courtroom defence, History Will Absolve Me, saying the book influenced his understanding of the political and historical developments taking place in Uganda and around the world.
According to the retired officer, his decision to join the military after returning to Uganda was influenced in part by the discipline and political consciousness he acquired during his years in Cuba.
He said the Cuban experience taught him the importance of discipline and commitment to national service, values he carried throughout his military career and into retirement.
The coincidence of his retirement and Castro’s centenary celebrations, he said, made the occasion particularly meaningful.
Cuba-Uganda Ties
Speakers at the event also reflected on the longstanding relationship between Uganda and Cuba, particularly in education, healthcare, technical cooperation and political solidarity.
Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) Speaker Andrew Irumba Katusabe, praised Castro’s legacy, Cuba’s relationship with Africa and the challenges facing the Cuban people.
In his discussions with the ambassador, they also touched on the current economic difficulties facing Cuba and Havana’s long-running opposition to the US sanctions and embargo.
The Cuban side appealed for continued international support in its campaign against the US blockade, while Ugandan supporters of Cuba reaffirmed their solidarity with the Cuban people.
The centenary celebrations ultimately provided a platform for participants to look beyond Castro’s political career and examine the broader legacy of Cuba’s engagement with Africa.
For the Pan-African activists and friends of Cuba who attended the Kampala event, Castro’s legacy remains closely linked to the principles of international solidarity, anti-colonialism, national sovereignty and support for African liberation movements.
The commemorations are expected to continue through various activities aimed at promoting awareness of Cuba’s historical relationship with Africa and strengthening people-to-people ties between Uganda and Cuba.
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