The President of the Republic of Uganda and Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Rtd General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reiterated that nobody will threaten the peace of Uganda, adding that the country’s security is secure despite the recent attacks in Somalia and Kasese.
“Nobody should get worried about the security of the country. Anybody who disturbs Uganda, will pay a very big price,” President Museveni emphasized.
President Museveni made the remarks on Thursday evening, June 29, 2023, as he presided over the pass out of over 9,690 Local Defence Personnel (LDPs) at Kaweweta Recruits Training School in Nakaseke District.
The President reminded the newly passed out recruits that they have joined a noble institution of heroic forces that have done a lot for Uganda and other parts of Africa.
He said that these heroic actions are because of the ideological clarity, and urged them to be disciplined both in their private lives and work but also avoid corrupt tendencies which are dangerous and can cause death.
He said that the UPDF is reaping dividends from the deliberate efforts of the National Resistance Movement of providing education as he alluded to Galatians 6:7 that “whatever man sows, that is what he reaps.”
“When you hear that some of the armies are doing well, it is mainly because they are educated people. Educated people can make very good soldiers because modern warfare has got a lot of science, and educated people learn very easily,” President Museveni said.
Out of the 9,690 LDPs that were passed out, 5,000 of them are holders of the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education and above, with five (5) being holders of Masters Degrees.
However, the Chief of Defence Forces, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi said that the enrollment exercise of the recruits that have passed out is in line with UPDF’s journey of building a modern, professional, effective and efficient force capable of securing Uganda, and will continuously bridge the gap so as to deliver on the constitutional mandate.
Gen. Mbadi said that, with guidance from the President, the UPDF will continue to review its training curriculum in order to enhance soldiers’ capacities for continuous improvement.
The CDF called upon the newly passed out LDPs to always remember the core values of the UPDF with the main one being conscious discipline, and urged them to keep in mind the UPDF code of conduct.
“UPDF’s discipline is built on this code of conduct to ensure positive relationship with our strategic partners (wanainchi) by avoiding tendencies that are injurious to the good image of the UPDF,” Gen. Mbadi said.
