UPDF relevant in Parliament

Jun 04, 2012

A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle,” George William Curtis.

By Col. Felix Kulayigye

A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle and patriotism is loyalty to that principle,” George William Curtis. 

The now legendary debate on UPDF representation in Parliament, like the one on term limits, is back in the public domain, so much so that even worshiping places have not been spared. 
 
The present Ugandan military has metamorphosed from a guerrilla out fit to a professional effective, efficient and accountable peoples’ defence force contrary to its forerunners. Indeed scholars worldwide are flocking Uganda to study what makes the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) unique on the continent. 
 
UPDF is a revolutionary military that emerged in 1981 as the National Resistance Army, as a vanguard force, for our people’s sustained struggle against oppression, suppression, dictatorship, exploitation, state-inspired violence, anarchy, bad leadership, lawlessness, economic backwardness and underdevelopment.
 
The vanguard force has its role spelt out and it is still relevant in the continued people’s struggle in and out of Parliament. 
The UPDF understands the people’s aspiration and has  demonstrated its ability in the furtherance of these interests. It is the patriotism of the UPDF that drives it to make priceless sacrifices. 
 
Patriotism means willingness to sacrifice to promote the country’s good, special affection for one’s own country, a sense of personal identification with the country. 
 
Patriotism is a love of and loyalty to one’s country. A patriot is someone who loves, supports, and is prepared to serve their country whatever the circumstances. 
 
While the country has registered achievements, it is not yet a certainty that these achievements are irreversible as witnessed in the September 2009 riots, the unfinished business in Karamoja and the lingering insecurity, compounded by the volatile situation in the eastern DRC, and, indeed, the entire Great Lakes Region as well as the somewhat fragile political situation in the country, when critically analysed. 
 
Ever since its founding in 1981, as a people’s army, the UPDF has been pro-people, national, politically conscious and non-partisan in character and shall remain so. 
 
Who does not need such an ally and for what reasons in the making of pro-people laws and execution of oversight functions moreover when there is every need to continuously capture each other’s moods and harness synergies as we nurture and build the foundations of the country’s transformation? Indeed, the people rate the UPDF above 85%; it is our desire to reach 95%. 
 
It is no wonder the Constituent Assembly 1994/95 and the 7th Parliament 2001/2006, which had a duty of assessing the continued stay of UPDF in Parliament, among other interest groups, overwhelmingly resolved so.
 
UPDF’s presence in Parliament is not by chance. It was well thought out. Its exit from Parliament should by necessity, again, be well thought out. The exit should not be forced by third parties that may not appreciate our history a conscious decision by the masses of Uganda through their elected Members of Parliament. 
 
The UPDF representatives, just like other MPs, render faithful service to Parliament. The UPDF representatives push for the pro-people stance and they have been equal to the task, ever since the days of the National Resistance Council, the 6th, 7th, 8th Parliaments to the current 9th parliament. 
 
Everything that goes on in a partisan parliament is invariably partisan. Indeed, it is where partisanism begins that the UPDF representatives end and where partisanism ends their role and realm begin. When partisan caucuses begin the UPDF Reps conveniently find something else to do. When a debate is destructively partisan, the UPDF MP push for stances of national interest and common good. 
 
Is UPDF special? No, the military is a servant of the people. Uganda is a young democracy, having lost many years in the 1960s, and 1979s plus the early 80’s to political turbulence.
 
The people regained their democratic rights in the mid-1980s following a costly protracted people’s war, in terms of human and material resources. There is need to deliberately monitor how the people are exercising their democratic rights, lest we fall back into the problems of the past.
 
Therefore, the UPDF is in Parliament not only as an observation and listening post but also as a fighting patrol in purely military terms, for purposes of avoiding surprise, to all as they continue to foster harmony pursuant to the constitution. 
 
They observe, listen, make timely interventions, giving information and sober ideas and viewpoints that help to avert catastrophic situations. They also learn in the process and keep in touch with the constituency that is fully focused on matters of national defence, security. 
 
In our turbulent history, the military has always been the first victims. When Amin overthrew his Commander-In-Chief little did he realise he was overthrowing his own government. How can the pillar of the state overthrow the very state and hope to remain standing! 
 
Thus after the coup of 1971, soldiers lost lives and their families wept, 1978/79 war, soldiers died so was the case in 1981 to 86. As we fight insurgencies, soldiers continue to die and their families weep. The military, therefore is a big stakeholder in the country’s stability so it ought to be part of the body politic but remain nonpartisan. We should remember that, among other things, democracy is not cheap.

UPDF/Defence spokesperson
 

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