The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Joint Chief of Staff (JCOS), Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, has interacted with the soldiers of Special Forces Command at SFC Headquarters in Entebbe.
Gen Kyanda, who also doubled as the team leader for the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) mobilisation drive to units, was in the company of a powerful delegation of Generals and Senior officers from the UPDF headquarters in Mbuya.
“You know the strength of the UPDF and how we have survived where others have failed. We have been successful where they have failed because of the correct political line. That would not have been possible if we did not have a great leader,” Gen Kyanda said.
The UPDF Joint Chief of Staff reiterated that the Chief of Defence Forces mobilisation drive was put in place following a decline in terms of the correct ideology for soldiers.
He observed that commanders were no longer preaching their UPDF way of thinking and, therefore, the CDF deemed it fit to have further engagement with the forces to reflect and remind themselves of the right way using political education.
Gen Kyanda also informed soldiers that through his leadership, President Yoweri Museveni has sacrificed a lot for the country starting way back in the 1960s when he planned to liberate Uganda.
This, he said, took a brave man to be able to endure and with a lot of faith to venture into areas that were not familiar to him.
“He operated in several parts of the country including Mbale, Gulu and Luweero until he was able to liberate the country.”
Speaking during the same occasion, the SFC commander, Brig Gen David Mugisha who is also a member of the CDF mobilisation team for the Central Region, was glad to welcome the team to SFC headquarters in Entebbe.
Brig Mugisha thanked the CDF for initiating and implementing the mobilisation drive which is aimed at increasing ideological awareness and creating frameworks that liberates the minds of members of the UPDF.
“The exercise also reminds us of our mandate as enshrined in article 209 of the Constitution which is to preserve, defend, cooperate, foster harmony and engage in productive efforts in order to facilitate socio-economic transformation of Uganda,” Gen Mugisha asserted.
At the same function, the SFC commander also presented to the troops a paper on the UPDF code of conduct, conduct injurious to the defence forces such as quest for cheap popularity, intrigue and double talk; corruption and cry for soft life.
He also presented a paper on revolutionary methods of work and major service offences that are harshly punishable by the military courts.
The Chief of Training and Recruitment (CTR), Brig. Gen. Matthew Gureme, applauded the officers and militants for their tremendous work of maintaining peace and stability for the country, saying this wouldn’t have been possible without their patriotic sacrifices and Ideological conviction and clarity.
Gen. Gureme said upholding the core values of conscious discipline, teamwork, persistence, creativity, frugality and Pan-Africanism is the precursor to the UPDF’s unending successes.
He appreciated the soldiers for vigorously taking part in the recently concluded Tarehe Sita activities in the Greater Mbarara area but also congratulated them for being the first responders during the Covid break-out.
Gen. Gureme also told the officers that knowledge and efficiency in doing one’s work, proficiency, obedience to command and loyalty are the other principles of a professional soldier.
The UPDF Director of Operations Other Than War (DOOW), Col. Chris Ogumelaki, interacted with the troops on key events in Uganda’s history right from the pre-colonial army, colonial army, King’s African Rifle (KAR), Uganda Rifle to Uganda Army.
He described these armies as non-patriotic and sectarian with undemocratic tendencies.
He said the foundation of NRA was laid on the principle of pro-people and this made it possible for it to succeed because of its clear leadership, professionalism, self-sacrifice and adhering to revolutionary methods of work.
The Chief Executive Officer of Wazalendo SACCO (WASACCO), Col. John Fredy Onata, said apart from the UPDF, the rest of the military preceding it lived for a short time because of poor leadership.
He said the UPDF designed its welfare to include provision of food, clothing, accommodation, medical, need for salaries and salary earners scheme to its troops.
Col. Onata said the UPDF opened its own cooperative society WASACCO in 2005 for its members, opened the defence forces shop in 2010 for acquisition of fairly cheap items.
He asked the troops not to succumb to unnecessary family pressures but to learn financial literacy skills, seek knowledge and information and proper management of expenditure.
The SFC soldiers appreciated the UPDF leadership for the timely interaction because this gives them the opportunity to hear from leaders from the strategic level.
They asked for such interactions to be conducted quarterly so that questions that cannot be answered by respective formations can be ably dealt with by those from the headquarters.
Other members on CDF mobilisation team for Central Region include; Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo, Brig. Gen. Willy Bainomugisha, Brig. Kigundu, Col. Frank Mukula and Lt. Col. Arthur Muhimbura.
The team will now head to Military Police headquarters in Makindye to interact with members.
