President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, has commended the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and his UPDF leadership team for making significant strides in improving the infrastructure and overall welfare of Uganda's soldiers.
The President made the remarks on Thursday during the pass-out ceremony of recruits at the Basic Military Training School in Kaweweta.
The joint ceremony brought together four training schools from across the country, including Special Forces Command Ruhengyere, 3 Infantry Division Training School Olimin in Katakwi District, 5 Infantry Division Training School Labworodongo in Agago District, and Butiaba Training School in Buliisa District under the Artillery Division.
The CDF disclosed that 10,207 of the graduates are Ugandans, while 1,741 are from the Central African Republic (CAR). This marks the largest intake of allied foreign soldiers since the 1990s, when Uganda hosted Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), during South Africa's liberation struggle.
President Museveni congratulated both the UPDF and CAR soldiers for completing the rigorous course, urging them to prioritize discipline, patriotism, and personal health.
"Soldiers go through rigorous training to be effective, which is like sharpening a panga before using it to cut wood," the President remarked, while explicitly warning instructors against using colonial-era methods like beating soldiers.
The President noted that Uganda has achieved great milestones but added that more could have been accomplished "if it wasn't for those who slept." He emphasized the symbiotic relationship between a strong military and a strong economy, echoing the CDF's earlier remarks that discipline and strict financial accountability are foundational to national development and a strong military.
In his address, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba pledged the military's full support toward the government's strategic target of achieving a $500 billion economy by 2040.
The CDF congratulated President Museveni on the political milestones of early 2026, including the January election victory and the subsequent inauguration in May, wishing the President good health in the new term of "Kisanja No More Sleep."
Gen Kainerugaba also extended gratitude to the former Minister of Defence and current Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, for his role in passing the amended UPDF Act 2025 and driving welfare reforms, expressing confidence in the Speaker's continued support for the defence forces and the nation.
Providing an update on regional operations, the CDF highlighted the UPDF's deployments across three borders. He said that in the DR Congo, the strategy remains aggressive against ADF remnants, with strict standard operating procedures enforced to safeguard troops amidst the regional Ebola outbreak, while in South Sudan, the CDF said security in Juba has stabilized significantly compared to when the UPDF first deployed.
In Somalia, Gen Kainerugaba said the mission is currently facing "sustainability headwinds," although the CDF noted that the High Command, under the President's guidance, will soon determine a pragmatic way forward.
On the domestic front, Gen Kainerugaba issued a stern warning against a "fifth column" of foreign agents and neocolonialist sympathizers attempting to undermine national sovereignty, stating that security agencies will not tolerate elements within the political or media classes who threaten national progress.
Regarding internal reforms, the CDF announced ongoing pay enhancements for officers and militants, alongside the expansion and modernization of accommodation, office facilities, and operational planning centers. He emphasized that military schools and hospitals are being aggressively revamped to support active personnel, their families, and reservists nationwide.
Concluding his address, Gen Kainerugaba issued three core directives to the graduating class: maintain physical and medical fitness, uphold absolute discipline and loyalty, and cultivate an unyielding warrior spirit.
Meanwhile, the Commandant of the Kaweweta school, Brig Gen John Patrick Otongo, said the new soldiers were inculcated with a deep sense of responsibility. He stated that they are fully equipped to navigate the complexities of modern warfare, adding that the courage, intellect, and resolve of the individual soldier remain crucial despite technological advancements on the battlefield.
The Minister of State for Defence, Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, thanked President Museveni and the UPDF leadership for the commitment to improving the defence forces.
The ceremony was attended by senior central and local government officials, alongside UPDF leaders at various levels.
