President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commissioned 280 Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) officer cadets, urging them to prioritise discipline, strengthen ties with civilians and protect economic activities from criminal interference.
President Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, made the remarks on Tuesday during the commissioning ceremony for Officer Cadets Intake 09/26 and Bachelor of Defence Studies Intake 05/23/29 at Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba in Mubende District.
The newly commissioned officers included 187 professional cadets who began training in February 2026 and 87 Bachelor of Defence Studies cadets who started training on September 18, 2023. The latter intake initially enrolled 100 cadets, but 14 did not complete the programme. Eleven of the commissioned officers were female.
Six additional officer cadets received training abroad, including Ruhamya Kainerugaba and Andrew Bakira, who trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. Four others trained in India.
The ceremony was attended by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, his wife Charlotte Kainerugaba, Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba Commandant Brig Gen Saad Katemba and other senior military officers. Lt Col John Mugarura commanded the parade.
Economy is key to national defence
Congratulating the graduates, President Museveni described their commissioning as the beginning of a long journey of service, urging them to remain focused on their careers.
“First of all, congratulations to the graduates. You have started a long journey in a very honourable organisation, the UPDF. If you do your part and don’t get diverted, you will make a good contribution,” he said.
He thanked the cadets’ families, the academy and the UPDF leadership for supporting their training, adding that an effective defence system depends partly on the strength of the economy.
“Recently, I was talking to the CDFs from a number of countries, and I told them that to have a strong and effective defence of the country, you need a number of factors. One of them is a strong economy which will be able to support a strong army,” President Museveni said.
He urged military leaders to work with relevant institutions to protect wealth creation in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and information and communication technology (ICT).
The President singled out the theft of livestock distributed to farmers under the Parish Development Model (PDM), describing the crime as sabotage against efforts to improve household incomes.
“When you get thieves stealing the goats and cows from the farmers which have been given by the PDM, that’s sabotage. It shouldn’t be tolerated,” he warned.
He called on security agencies to ensure that beneficiaries of government programmes could retain their assets and benefit from initiatives intended to improve their livelihoods.
Museveni stresses army-population ties, technology
President Museveni also emphasised the importance of maintaining a strong relationship between the army and the public, saying the military depends on the support of the population.
“The strategic relationship between the army and the people [is important]. The army must always make sure that it is like fish in the sea,” he said, recalling how public support contributed to the liberation struggle despite shortages of weapons.
He identified continuous training and investment in science and technology as other essential elements of national defence.
“We were still using arrows and spears when the Europeans were using gunpowder. It was that which caused problems in the last 500 years. Therefore, we must make sure that we enhance science and technology,” he said.
On regional security, President Museveni called for greater cooperation among African countries to develop joint capabilities across land, air, maritime and space domains.
“We need to coordinate with our brother African countries to work together so that we create capacity on land, air, at sea and even space because that’s where the war is now,” he said.
He commended the Chief of Defence Forces and other commanders for efforts to combat corruption and improve soldiers’ welfare, including their accommodation and pay.
President Museveni said the government would prioritise the modernisation of military training institutions to bring their facilities up to international standards.
“I have told the CDF and his commanders that we need to prioritise these training infrastructures. They can be made state-of-the-art. It is good to have the best in the world when you are training from here,” he said.
He also urged the newly commissioned officers to safeguard their health, citing his own experience in public service and political struggle.
“When I look back and see the things I have gone through in the last 65 years, from the students’ movement to the armed resistance against Idi Amin and UPC, you can see that if my health had been compromised earlier, I wouldn’t have achieved all that,” he said.
CDF warns of rising violent crime
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said the security situation in Uganda and the wider region was relatively calm, with UPDF peace and stabilisation missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Somalia continuing to make progress.
However, he raised concern over an increase in violent crime in some parts of the country, where criminals were reportedly using machetes and, in some cases, firearms to rob, kill and sexually assault victims.
“However, on the domestic front, we have recently noted an increase in violent crime in some parts of the country, and this has caused a bit of unease in those affected areas,” he said.
The CDF said security agencies were coordinating operations to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible.
“No effort will be spared until the sanctity of the right to life and property is fully restored for all the people in our country,” he said.
Gen Kainerugaba thanked Ugandans for their continued support for President Museveni and the National Resistance Movement government, crediting the President’s leadership with contributing to the country’s socio-economic transformation and regional peace and stability.
He said soldiers’ welfare had improved during his nearly three years as CDF, citing progress in pay, accommodation, administration, logistics, healthcare and education.
He added that the UPDF would continue strengthening training, acquiring equipment and improving troop welfare, supported by ideological and political education.
Gen Kainerugaba also commended instructors at military training institutions and urged the new officers to report to their assigned units.
“I urge you to immediately join your assigned units and gain experience. You are now the future of the UPDF,” he said.
Defence minister urges officers to uphold integrity
Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka said President Museveni’s attendance at the ceremony demonstrated his commitment to national defence, military excellence and the continued professionalisation of the UPDF.
He credited the President’s strategic guidance and investment with helping build a disciplined force tasked with protecting Uganda’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Kiwanuka also commended Gen Kainerugaba for efforts to improve troop welfare and combat corruption, and recognised the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine leadership for overseeing and standardising training across military institutions.
He praised the Kabamba academy commandant and staff for equipping cadets with the knowledge, skills and values required for military leadership.
The minister highlighted regional cooperation with Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania through joint training and professional exchanges.
“Cooperation through joint training, professional exchanges, and sharing of mutual experience strengthens our defence institutions, enhances interoperability, and builds mutual trust,” he said.
Addressing the new officers, Kiwanuka urged them to uphold integrity, discipline and loyalty to the Constitution.
“Wear your uniform with honour. Lead with integrity and discipline. Remain loyal to the Commander-in-Chief and the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,” he said.
He urged the officers to put their mission, the welfare of their soldiers and the interests of Ugandans ahead of personal ambition.
Academy pledges to improve training
Brig Gen Saad Katemba, the commandant of Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba, said the training programme combines academic instruction with military preparation, with emphasis on sustainability, ideological grounding and leadership skills.
He thanked lecturers and instructors for sharing their knowledge and experience with the cadets, adding that the academy was improving its infrastructure in line with the President’s guidance.
Katemba also thanked the CDF for supporting improvements in troop welfare and expressed optimism that the academy would continue receiving resources to strengthen its training programmes.
He commended the graduates for their endurance and resilience but cautioned them against groups or individuals who might seek to undermine their professional development and commitment to national service.
“Be aware of manipulative interest groups who are envious of your hard-earned competences and may try at any cost to divert you from the strong foundation and the legacy of the institution and national ideology,” he said.
The commandant acknowledged the support provided by spouses, parents, relatives and friends throughout the cadets’ training. He also thanked residents of Kasambya in Mubende District for their cooperation and patience with the noise associated with military training activities.
Best-performing cadets recognised
The ceremony also recognised cadets who excelled in different areas of training.
Officer Cadet Enos Kugumaho of the Special Forces Command was named overall best performer, while Officer Cadet Gloria Kwakunda, also from the Special Forces Command, emerged as best in class.
Officer Cadet Derrick Hongoro of the Land Forces was recognised as best in field, while Officer Cadet Shemack Abreziz from Kenya received the award for best in tactics.
