Idarus Pajobo

The respect during raising and lowering of the national flag in many occasions has been side-lined by the public, thinking it’s only for the forces.
In Arua city many have been made to stand still in respect to the national flag around the police and military Barracks.

To understand what it means by respecting the national flag, Lt Col Benson Olanya Explains to Radio Pacis that, while the National flag is being raised up and lowered down, anybody within the territory must respect. “If you are a force and you are in full uniform, you MUST salute, and if you are a civilian and you are moving, you MUST STOP to show respect because it is what shows that we got independence.” Olanya shared.

What does the public say?  
Francis a resident of Arua city shares that it means for him to respect the national flag “I don’t see anything wrong with being stopped to stand as the flag is being raised or lowered because that’s one way I show patriotism to my country the love and respect to honour my country. It’s the one word I have about this. Its honour to the country.” Francis said with passion.

On the other hand Agwang Ritah with an open mind thinks standing still for the national flag means nothing. “Most educated people take it as a class thing yet there are those who really know nothing about it. Some take it that when the National flag is being raised at a particular place, its only for people in that place or that particular place at that particular time because if I am walking at I find the flag being raised at the central police station its none of my business, for me it doesn’t make sense to make people stand when the flag is being raised in my office,.” Said Rita.

According to the National Flag and Armorial Ensigns act of 2001, the Uganda national flag should be treated with the outmost respect and failure to so, is a crime.