UPDF is not for job seekers - Museveni

Photos by PPU

The Commander in Chief of the armed Forces, President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday commissioned officer cadets at Uganda Military Academy, Kabamba in Mubende.

The 256 officer cadets underwent 53 weeks of training. Of these, 57 were Somali fraternal officers while 21 provisional 2nd Lt Officers from the political commissar unit.

The President noted that failure to undertake what a national army should entail has made many countries outsource security from the United Nations instead of sourcing security from within.

 

"After years of analysis, we concluded that the army should have five principles: ideology and patriotism, skills of warfare, discipline, physical fitness and bravery," he said.

He added: "The army is like a surgeon who uses a knife to cut th

e sick parts. If you cut anyhow, you are a butcher. Soldiers use violence that is purposeful, disciplined and limited to targets."

He hailed the UPDF for doing good things even with limited resources. "UPDF is an army of merit and patriots, not an army of job seekers. We are now a large group of officers with those characteristics. What we need now is consolidation."

He reiterated his government's commitment to continue building the army: the Land Forces, Air Force and Marines.

The president observed the need for more work with the marine forces saying a large part of the country is under water and the internal lakes too need security. The marine force will help guard fisheries, he said.

"I was reading the New Vision today and saw that fish has increased in the lakes. The fishers of immature fish had finished that resource in the lakes. I thank the marines for the good work done so far," the President said.