Lungu in Uganda

President Edgar Lungu has left for  Uganda, to attend the 40th anniversary of the Entebbe operation.

This was a successful counter-terrorist hostage-rescue mission, carried out by the Israel Defense Forces, at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.

This hostage rescue happened on July 4, 1976, a week after an Air France plane with 248 passengers had been hijacked by Pro-Palestinian militants

The hijackers had the stated objective to free 40 Palestinian and affiliated militants imprisoned in Israel and 13 prisoners in four other countries in exchange for the hostages. The flight, which had originated in Tel Aviv with the destination of Paris, was diverted after a stopover in Athens via Benghazi to Entebbe, the main airport of Uganda. The Ugandan government supported the hijackers, and dictator Idi Amin personally welcomed them

President LUNGU, who has been invited by President Yoweri Museveni, will be among 6 other heads of state, who include Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyau.

Zambia’s High Commissioner to Tanzania, Judith Kapijimpanga, who is also accredited to Uganda, has confirmed this in an interview with ZNBC in Uganda.

Phoebe Sakala reports from Kampala that according to a programme released in the Ugandan capital, the heads of state will later hold a closed door summit on counter-terrorism, and later issue a communique, after the commemorations.

President Lungu caused a social media uproar recently when he last visited Uganda. Lungu was quoted by local media, urging Opposition Leader to concede defeat and move on. Many Ugandans took to social media and condemned the Zambia Presidents comment on what was popularly called internal Ugandan matters.