Brig. Kyanda appeals to Ugandan Forces

By Abdulkarim Ssengendo in Mbarara

BRIG. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, Chief of Staff Land Forces, has appealed to the Ugandan forces that participated in a two weeks East African Community Field Training Exercise 2014 (EAC FIT), to utilize the best practices attained to improve the country’s performance in the current operations in Somalia, Central Africa, South Sudan and internally.

Kyanda also reminded the force that that training is for utilization in the field operations. He also reminded them that UPDF’s participation was in accordance to Article 2 of the memorandum of understanding in the EAC and pursuant to sectoral council decision on co-operation in defense that approved FIT 14 code named “USHIRIKIANO IMARA 2014”.

He made the resounding remarks on Sunday at the event to welcome the Ugandan contingent that participated in the EAC FT exercise. The welcome ceremony took place at the 2nd division assembling ground. The two weeks training was hosted in Mwaro Bujumbura, in the Republic of Burundi.

Total of 1949 Defence Forces, Police, Prisons and Civilian components of Legal, Humanitarian, Immigration, Disaster Management and Environmental affairs participated in the exercise.

At a fundamental level, Kyanda said the annual events were important to keep EAC region safe and secure adding that the requirement falls in their mandate as UPDF.  He said cooperation in the training exercise offers EAC states opportunities to better understanding and complex security challenges in the region.

“This continued participation in such defense cooperation in training exercises enhances our professionalism and is a great promise for EAC future stability, regional economic growth and development,” he added.

He thanked the four partners States, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, as well as the AU and the UN that have been working towards the common goal of a secure and stable EAC.  He also thanked the republic of Burundi for successfully hosting the event.

The exercise contingent commander, Brig. Jack Bakasumba, said the purpose of the EAC FT 14 event was particularly to develop the competences and skills of the EAC partner states’ armed forces and other non-military stakeholders to combat complex security challenges in the field.

During the training; operational and tactical plans, execute integrated operation orders for force deployment, framework operations and subsequent actions, provision of agile operational and tactical responses to incidents were achieved.