Netanyahu statue at Entebbe is an assault on Uganda’s sovereignty, constitutional order

What the report says

The Observer published an opinion piece criticizing the reported placement of a statue honoring Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu at the Old Entebbe International Airport terminal in Uganda. The article says the monument is linked in public reporting to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and argues that, if installed without civilian approval or a lawful process, it would raise constitutional and legal concerns. The writer frames public monuments as state statements about national memory and says decisions about such symbols should rest with civilian institutions, not the military.

The piece also argues that honoring the Israeli commander at Entebbe is politically and historically sensitive because it commemorates a foreign raid on Ugandan territory during the 1976 hostage rescue operation known as Operation Entebbe or Operation Thunderbolt. The author says the raid violated Uganda’s sovereignty and that Uganda’s soldiers who died defending the airport deserve recognition as well.

The article calls on Parliament, especially relevant oversight committees, to investigate the legal basis for the monument and, if needed, create clearer rules for memorials on public land. It also places the dispute in a broader debate about Uganda’s foreign policy and the symbolism of closer security ties with Israel. The article presents these as the writer’s views and legal-political arguments rather than as confirmed government explanations.