President Yoweri Museveni has told Officers and men of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces that as the UPDF was the forerunner of the principles of the then National Resistance Army, they, as preachers, should endeavor to exercise those principles.
Gen. Museveni, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda Armed Forces, was yesterday (Friday) addressing Officers and men of Singo Military and Peace Support Operations and Training Centre, Singo Military Barracks in Nakaseke District after he made an inspection of the facility.
The President called upon Army Officers to learn, understand, internalize and apply the principles of NRA wherever they are deployed. He enumerated those principles as Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Unity and democracy.
He told UPDF soldiers that the Army in which they serve, is a national liberation force.
He said that colonialism had made the country dependent on the British economically, politically, socially and militarily adding that this state of affairs had been enforced through the colonial Army.
“UPDF is not the first Army. There were other armies like the King’s African Rifles, which was an Army for the British King.
The big gun you see at Entebbe is a German gun captured from Tanganyika by Africans working for the British.
The mission of colonialism was to make us work for foreigners and that is why coffee was called Kiboko because the British used to beat the Africans to grow coffee,” he said.
He revealed that other challenges, such as political and traditional fragmentation, the stupidity of looking down on women, male chauvinism, sectarianism and social underdevelopment, had largely stagnated Africa and rendered the continent underdeveloped.
He, however, noted that moves have been made to solve those challenges through working for economic integration, would bring about prosperity to the people.
He, therefore, stressed that the Army also has a role to play in teaching farmers to shift from subsistence farming and embrace modernized profit-oriented agriculture.
Gen. Museveni advised UPDF soldiers to always train hard and be confident of themselves in their calling to serve and protect wananchi.
The President also advised them to lead responsible and disciplined lives free of alcohol consumption, smoking and promiscuity.
He observed that indiscipline in life would not only lead to immature death but also a loss to their families and the country as well.
He encouraged the Army to always make sure that places where soldiers intended to camp are fumigated to keep at bay ailments such as malaria.
On the way from Kampala at Matugga Trading Centre in Wakiso District, President Museveni directed his personal medical doctor to fully examine a 4-month old baby after the toddler’s father, Sserwanja Tonny, requested the President to assist him save his child who is said to have a problem of the heart.
