By Doreen Musingo

THE Minister of Defence, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, has warned the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers against airing out their grievances through wrong fora.

Kiyonga described as ‘indiscipline’ for officers to complain to MPs and through the media about poor payment and not being promoted.

“If you fear talking to your commanders, then write anonymous letters and send them to the Chief of Defence Forces. Otherwise, this practice undermines the institution and could break it down,” Kiyonga said.

He made the remarks while passing out 80 UPDF officers who completed a five-month company commanders course at the Junior Staff College in Gadaffi Army Barracks Jinja on Friday.

He urged the soldiers to support the Government in the fight against corruption, championed by President Yoweri Museveni.

To succeed, he added, you should ensure zero tolerance to corruption within the UPDF institution.
He said the army was doing its part in the fight against corruption by unearthing officers engaged in registering ghost soldiers.

He advised soldiers living with HIV/AIDS to live positively. “Some people don’t want to accept that they are HIV-positive, others waste money going to witchdoctors, thinking they were bewitched which is wrong.”

The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, said the next in-take would emphasise uplifting the standards of training in the East African Community (EAC) armies and that Swahili would be adopted as the official language of the EAC armies.

The commandant of the college, Col. Paul Loketch, said 81 students were trained in the company command course, 79 of whom were UPDF officers. Three were females, one officer was from Kenya, while one was disqualified due to indiscipline.