Museveni Commends CDF, UPDF Leadership for Corruption Fight

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has commended the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and military commanders for fostering a renewed commitment to fighting corruption, an effort that, he noted, is already yielding visible results within the UPDF.

The president, who was speaking at the hybrid pass-out ceremony of military recruits at the Basic Military Training School (BMTS) Kaweeta in Nakaseke District on Monday, April 28, thanked the CDF for prioritizing professionalism and lethality in the armed forces.

“An army must be sharp and lethal, not blunt, and this is what the CDF has been talking about,” the president emphasized.

Reflecting on the essence of warfare, the President added that combat has always revolved around offense and defense, dating back to ancient times: “the spear, the arrow, and the shield.” A skilled force, he stressed, must master both striking the enemy and protecting itself.

The commander-in-chief highlighted the critical need for the military to advance in technology and organizational efficiency, warning that failure to keep pace would leave the nation vulnerable.

Citing history, the President said our ancestors could not defend against colonialism and slave trade because they lagged behind in technology.

The president also highlighted the importance of innovation and transformation, citing the hybrid graduation ceremony as an example.

Instead of attending six separate events, we held one central function while others joined virtually, hailing the efficiency through the use of technology.

Both the president and the CDF urged soldiers to prioritize their physical and medical well-being, emphasizing that neglecting one’s health equates to betrayal, of oneself, one’s family, and one’s country.

Speaking at the event, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba assured President Museveni that the UPDF won’t hesitate to punish commanders who misuse military resources for selfish gain.

“It is abhorrent and sacrilegious, really, for any commander or officer to misuse or divert resources for selfish gain,” said the CDF. “I must add, Your Excellency, that we shall not hesitate to take decisive action against those who do not heed this call.”

Gen. Kainerugaba, who has recently overseen the arrest of corrupt commanders in the UPDF, assured the president that the army will achieve all its set milestones because value for money is fundamental in operations.

“…we are confident that we will achieve the set milestones one at a time. We are trying to do this, among others, by ensuring value for money for every shilling,” he said. “We will no longer tolerate wastage and abuse of our limited and scarce resources that would otherwise improve the operating conditions of our brave soldiers.”

The CDF, who is also the senior presidential advisor on Special Operations, told the recruits that they’ve joined the UPDF at the right time, citing recent major strides in the welfare of officers, such as improvements in remuneration, accommodation, working space, clothing, feeding, transport and logistics management, education (for the children of soldiers), and health services. “We want our fighting men and women, together with their families, to be proud of the conditions in which they live and work,” he said.

Gen. Kainerugaba argued that becoming “a warrior is the highest vocation or calling one can have.”

“Nothing I can think of compares or comes close,” he said.

The graduation ceremony saw the pass-out of military recruits in record numbers. Over 10,000 were passed out, and it was a hybrid event, with some attending virtually and others physically.

The CDF was quick to remind the graduates that the end of their basic military training is only the beginning.

“A lot more training is yet to come, and we will continue to sharpen them until they are the best warriors there are, able to deal with whatever is thrown at them in their line of duty.”