SFC urged to contribute positively to national, regional issues

The Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has congratulated the Special Forces Command (SFC) officers upon completing six-week refresher course saying this should motivate them to serve their country better and also contribute positively to national and regional issues.

He said the course was organised with the aim of refreshing the officers both mentally and physically on the basics of military theories and practical applications.

"When you prepare like this, we are sure that you can contribute positively to national and regional issues more professionally," he said.

Mbadi noted that UPDF's idea, with the guidance of the commander in chief of the armed forces Gen. Yoweri Museveni, is to establish an effective, efficient and professional force that is acceptable to the people of Uganda in order to deliver its constitutional mandate. He said that this can only be achieved by undertaking refresher courses like these that are progressive and motivational.

Mbadi was on Monday speaking as the chief guest at the SFC officers pass out at Nakasongola Military Barracks, in Nakasongola district.

The SFC officers trained for five weeks at the Special Forces training school at Sera Kasenyi and one-week practical training at the barracks. The officers underwent ideological orientation, physical training, political education, and mobilization including various military and warfare drills and skills.

Mbadi later toured the training field and thereafter the trainees demonstrated to him what they learnt from the course.

He said courses like these improve the competence and proficiency of the officers for better work. He urged them to perfect what they have learnt through continuously re-training and applying what they have acquired on the ground to ensure consistency.

He urged the officers to have discipline and remain loyal to their country Uganda, the Constitution, the President, institutions, and commanders. He also encouraged them to continue exercising in order to remain physically fit and healthy.

He warned the officers against contracting HIV/AIDS, hepatitis among other sexually transmitted diseases urging them to take good care of their families, saying that ‘If you do not have a stable family, you will not perform well at work'.

He thanked the leadership of the SFC for coming up with the idea to organise the refresher course for the officers during the COVID-19 period.

The SFC commander Maj. Gen. James Birungi said that the force's administration decided to train the officers during the COVID-19 lockdown in order to refresh themselves.

He noted that refresher courses are very good to remind the officers of their constitutional mandate and to learn new ideas from each other.