UPDF ready to retire those who want - Ankunda

By Raymond Baguma       
                           
The Ugandan Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) has received applications from over 2,000 officers and men asking to voluntarily retire from the army, according to the spokesperson Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda.

Lt. Col. Ankunda who was Tuesday addressing journalists during a press conference at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters in Mbuya, said that the army has set up a pensions and gratuity management system to effect immediate payments of benefits for the retirees.

“We are starting with the tactical and operational level so that we are not overwhelmed by the numbers that cannot be accommodated by the budget this year. But the process can now start and the system is now ready to handle that,” he added.

Ankunda said that since 1992, the army has retired 50,200 soldiers; while between 2007 and 2008, a total of 5,300 officers and men were retired from the UPDF. Also, recently, six senior officers applied to retire and they have been released.

He said that retirement from the army has always been guided by a law and Schedule 5 of the Terms and Conditions of Service specifies the age limits commensurate with the different ranks for retirement.

“This new exercise that we are undertaking is a product of that law. We are saying that 2nd Lieutenants, Lieutenants and Captains who are 50 years of age now, can apply and retire from UPDF. (Officers at the rank of) Major who are 55 years can apply and retire from the UPDF. And we are not forcing anyone,” he said.

He said that whereas the law states that at 40 years, a 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant and Captain should have retired. However, under the exercise, the age has been pushed to 50.

“The purpose is to deal with the backlog that we have had over the years when we could not embark on this exercise. But I can tell you now that UPDF is now ready to retire those who want,” Lt. Col. Ankunda said.

He said that while the army retires the old guard, another exercise will next month kick off to recruit a targeted 3,000 soldiers countrywide.

 When asked about the status of Gen. Sejusa in the army, Lt. Col. Ankunda said that whereas as Gen. Sejusa currently draws his salary from the Parliament, and not the UPDF, he will remain a serving army officer until he is struck off the strength of the military.

“Sejusa is still at large. He has been making statements day in day out. We have heard that he has requested Parliament for extension of his leave. We will be waiting to see how Parliament will act on this request, and whether they will allow extending leave for a person who has openly declared war on the country,” Lt. Col. Ankunda said.

He said the UPDF will seek legal advice on whether Gen Sejusa can be removed from Parliament where he is a representative of the army.

“When his leave expires and Parliament hopefully does not renew it, we will consider our options on the need to replace him in Parliament. The Commander in Chief will make his nominations and will be voted for in the Army Council,” added Ankunda.

Ankunda said that Sejusa’s recent utterances to use all possible means to fight Government is treasonous and a file for charges against him is almost complete with investigations done by the military intelligence and the Police.

“Obviously we know where he is and it’s not difficult to get him, except if he has applied for asylum on grounds that he is being persecuted. But we can work with the British government and explore all possible ways of having him extradited for trial,” added Ankunda.

The Executive Director of Uganda Media Centre Ofwono Opondo said Gen. Sejusa has no ability to implement his threats. He also said that by applying to Speaker for extension of his leave, Gen. Sejusa wants to earn money when he is not working.

“That’s why he is talking from far away. He is talking from where Peter Otai talked from for the last 27 years. But it’s a threat in the sense that his utterances undermine the laws of Uganda, but in terms of ability, he does not have military or political capacity,” Ofwono said.