UPDF to manage own pension scheme under proposed law

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The defence ministry is set to take over the management of its own pension scheme, should the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill, 2025, be passed into law.

Brig. Gen. Moses Wandera, the Joint Chief of Staff for Legal Affairs, revealed this development on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, while appearing before two joint parliamentary committees scrutinising the bill.

These specifically are the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, chaired by Stephen Bakka Mugabi (Bukooli North, NRM), and the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee, chaired by Wilson Kajwengye (Nyabushozi County, NRM).

(Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

“This bill, therefore, seeks to replace the Permanent Secretary Public Service with the PS Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs as the pension authority,” he said.

Additionally, the joint staff for legal services, Brig. Gen. Moses Wandera, the proposed Schedule Ten in the Uganda People's Defence Forces (Amendment) Bill 2025, seeks to streamline the computation of pension and gratuity for military personnel.

“We have been having problems with Public Service as far as our pension and gratuity are concerned. Currently, the Public Service uses a standard formula:1/500 × basic salary × length of service × 12 months.

Abdu Katuntu, (left), Member of Parliament for Bugweri County presents during the committee meeting.

This constant of 1/500 assumes retirement at the age of 60,” he noted.

He explained that this approach does not reflect the military reality, where retirement age depends on rank. For instance, Wandera said a private retires at 40, having joined at 18, implying a service period of just 22 years.

Retirement age

The revised bill sets the retirement age for Second Lieutenant at forty years (264 months), Major General at sixty years (504 months), and General at 65 years (564 months constant).

Proposed pension computation.

For other ranks, a private retires at 40 years (264 months constant), Warrant Officer Class I at 58 years (489 months constant). Implying that the fewer the months, the less the pension package.

However, Erute South MP Jonathan Odur demanded to see a certificate of financial implication, arguing that Parliament should not legislate without fully understanding the cost burden.

(Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

Erute South MP Jonathan Odur (Left). (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

(Photo by Miriam Namutebi)

“You state that there is a lack of differentiation in the current pay structure in the UPDF based on rank, which has resulted in uneven pay for military personnel. Can the mover convince us and demonstrate the unevenness in the payment, differentiation and how much is required? So that we can arrive at the figures projected or stated in the certificate of financial implication,” Odur raised.

“We have not concluded the budgeting process, we don’t want to reach a point where we have provided for something in the law and then the same Executive appears and tells us there is no money,” he added.