President Yoweri Museveni has had an interface with Senior Army Officers on pertinent national, regional and international issues.
The interface took place at the Jinja-based Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka, which is UPDF’s highest institution of learning in the country.
The interface featured the fielding of questions from Senior Army Officers to the President as the 40 Officers from Uganda, other East African countries and South Africa, concluded their 47-week course.
It was observed the East African integration would lend the region a strong bargaining power in terms of trade and ensuring prosperity of the people as well as providing strategic defence.
“The first issue about integration is prosperity and the market. There is no way you can prosper if you don’t have a big market,” the President said. He pointed out that it is easy to achieve integration because of the linkages and similarities the people of the region have.
“The linkages are there but reactionaries don’t have the eyes to see those linkages” he noted.
He, therefore, asked Army Officers in particular and the region at large to always foster unity in order to achieve development regardless of where one hails from.
“You are all either similar or linked. That is why we say unity is strength. Since you have these linkages why not get together to boost your strength?” he asked.
The President saluted the efforts of all those who have worked to see the integration reach where it is now.
The Commandant of the College, Lt. Gen Andrew Gutti, saluted the President and Commander-in-Chief for his guidance to the College.
In a vote of thanks, Maj. Collins Ainemugisha of the Uganda Air Force, while commending President Museveni for his insight and enlightening views on the need for the integration of East Africa, noted that the Army Officers, who have been under training at the College, will be greatly helped in the execution of their future assignments.
The Officers underwent rigorous training in policy and strategy, national and international affairs, leadership as well as command and management among other disciplines.
The College, which is affiliated to Makerere University, offers Master’s of Arts Degree in Defence and Security studies
