As Uganda prepares to mark 48 years o independence next week, the celebrations might not witness the usual hoisting of the national flag if a new court petition by the maker of the national flag is successful
A School boy raising Uganda's national flag
Semei Matia Nyai, 80, a retired teacher has petitioned court to halt the use of the Uganda national flag until he is paid a fair recompense for making the national flag.
He is demanding 1.3 billion Uganda shillings, housing and an official car for his role in creating Uganda’s national flag.
Nyai says he never received any recognition for coming up with the black, yellow and red design, which he proposed in 1961 following a call for submissions by the Ugandan Interior Ministry.
The flag officially replaced the British Union Jack as Uganda’s new national banner. It was first hoisted on the 9th October 1962 when Uganda got independence from Britain.
Nyayi says the Uganda flag should not be flown until they pay him and hopes the court will grant him this order.
Nyai’s petition follows a similar successful petition by George Kakoma, 80, the composer of the Uganda national anthem who managed to get a court award of 50million Uganda shillings for his efforts, although he had demanded for more.