President Yoweri Museveni has tasked newly commissioned UPDF officers to become masters of modern warfare to ensure the force’s continued tactical superiority.
The Commander-in-Chief emphasized that proficiency beyond traditional land, water, and air domains to include space and cyber operations is non-negotiable for the strategic security of Uganda and Africa.
Reflecting on the origins of the National Resistance Army (NRA), which evolved into the UPDF, President Museveni highlighted that its success in the bush war was not due to numerical strength but to superior strategy and tactics. He urged the new officers to uphold this legacy by outthinking potential adversaries.
Furthermore, the President counseled the officers to maintain the high levels of physical fitness they achieved during training. He stressed that a disciplined and healthy lifestyle is essential for a long and productive career, noting that the nation is counting on their service for years to come.
The President was speaking at the commissioning ceremony of UPDF officer cadets at Kabamba Military Training School.
Speaking at the same ceremony, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba rooted the ceremony in history, noting that Kabamba was the very ground where the UPDF was launched 44 years ago under the President’s “single-minded, determined and visionary leadership.”
“The UPDF has since then developed into the biggest force in the country’s socio-economic transformation journey,” Gen Kainerugaba stated.
“In South Sudan, in the DRC, in Somalia, in CAR, in Equatorial Guinea, it is a force for good. Wherever the call of duty is made on the African continent, the UPDF stands ready to respond.”
The CDF emphasized the force’s Pan-African character, revealing that the graduating class included cadets from Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, Kenya, and the Central African Republic.
He credited the Commander-in-Chief for instilling this spirit of brotherhood.
Addressing the new officers, Gen Kainerugaba applauded their “immense courage” to venture into the unknown. “I contend that to become a soldier is the highest vocation in the whole of human life,” he said. He however warned them that their commissioning was only the beginning, stating, “We will continue to sharpen them until they are the best warriors and commanders out there.”
On institutional reforms, the CDF outlined significant investments in soldier welfare, including better pay, expanded accommodation, and the soon-to-be-commissioned UPDF Referral Hospital. He reiterated the warning against corruption, declaring it “abhorrent and a desecration of duty” and pointing out that decisive action is being taken against those who misuse resources.
The CDF reaffirmed the force’s commitment to combat readiness, highlighting continuous training and equipment acquisition to counter evolving threats. He concluded by congratulating the new officers and instructing them to lead by example, stay physically and ideologically clear, and prepare for deployment in frontline fighting formations.
The event, attended by the nation’s top leadership, celebrated the force’s enduring legacy and its future under a new generation of leaders.
Meanwhile, the pass out ceremony was graced by Gen Kainerugaba’s former platoon commander and directing staff at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Maj. Gen. Ben Kite and Mr. Sam Instone who was Gen Kainerugaba’s colleague at the UK based military institution. The CDF introduced his special guests to the President with whom they had a brief meeting.
The function was also attended by the Jacob Oboth Oboth—Minister of Defence, the State Minister for Defence, Oleru Huda and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Ms. Rose Byengoma.
The UPDF top leadership including the Chief of Joint Staff Lt Gen Jack Bakasumba alongside Service Chiefs, Division Commanders, and Commanders from across the UPDF were also present.
