The Deputy Commander of Land Force (D/CLF) of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Maj Gen Francis Takirwa, has inspected the construction of housing units under the 3 Division in Eastern Uganda.
Gen Takirwa who was received and briefed by Brig Gen Felix Busizoori inspected projects at 403 Brigade headquarters, Napak district and the School of Field Artillery And Air Defence (SOFAAD) located at Olilim, in Katakwi District.
“Whatever you are doing, let the level of commitment and discipline be at 99.9%,” Gen Takirwa told Engineers at the site.
He thanked the soldiers for the efforts made so far as the project is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year.
At 403 Brigade Headquarters, Matanyi, the ongoing projects comprising 15 blocks each with 4 houses units are being undertaken by the 3 Division Construction Regiment and Special Forces Command (SFC) Civil Engineering Regiment.
According to the site engineer and 3 Division Construction Regiment Commander, Maj Mulwana Kizito, in the works that commenced in June 2022, six blocks are already complete, whereas the remaining blocks are rated at 65 % work.
At SOFAAD, the SFC’s site engineer Lt Dickens Opito said that the administrative block is rated at 90%, the classroom block is at 65% and the aqua-privy toilet stands at 80% work done.
Earlier, a team from UPDF Land Force Headquarters inspected similar construction projects at 509 Brigade (Loro) and 507 Brigade (Acholi-Pii) under 5 Division.
Gen Takirwa graced and blessed the tree planting activity where UPDF partnered with key stakeholders, the National Forest Authority (NFA) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) to promote environmental conservation in the Karamoja Sub-region.
“I urge everyone to take pride in this massive drive to achieve a shared dream of an evergreen environment,” said Gen Takirwa.
The Deputy Commander of 3 Division, Brig Gen Felix Busizoori was pleased and thankful to the management of the National Forest Authority (NFA) for providing the seedlings for the right cause and purpose.
Col Richard Obura Kidega explained that the 403 Brigade has 677 acres of land on which the force shall live to its function of engaging in productive activities to augment the existing stocks as well.
He lauded the OWC through Col Robert Achuka and Napak district for the provision of farm inputs and offering land respectively to promote afforestation and production.
The NFA offered UPDF 20,000 different tree species for planting and activities are planned to roll out in a phased manner to the institutional and gazetted pieces of land in the districts of Abim, Kotido, Moroto, Nakapiripirit and Amudat in the Karamoja Sub-region.
The ongoing construction projects are an initiative by UPDF’s strategic leadership to address the accommodation challenge in the force.
Present at the inspection and tree planting exercises were: Col Kiiza Birungi, Director of Political Education, Lt Col Abert Kashakamba, Director of Intelligence, key staff officers at Division and Brigade headquarters, representatives of Napak district Local Government and Industrial Hub.
