Yesterday, President Museveni lauded the retired Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) generals for accepting to serve their country without pay or little pay in the earlier days after the 1986 bush war.
Over 19 UPDF Generals were recently cleared for retirement and awarded certificates on Monday afternoon.
Speaking at the awarding ceremony, the president described the retirees as part of the Mustard Seed story that he wrote about that did a great job liberating the country.
“It was good that they suppressed some of their interests to work for no or low pay to defend the country. While in the bush, there was no pay and when we had just captured power, the pay was so low but they accepted to provide their services,” Museveni said.
“We hope the country will remember us for helping so many people,” he added.
The president, also asked the army leadership to record individual success stories from all the retired soldiers who fought in the bush war so as to teach lessons to others.
The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) in the UPDF, Gen David Muhoozi also added his voice and said that the retirement of 19 generals is a story of the army’s renaissance.
“In the past armies and governments, retirement was because of death, exile, imprisonment, desertion or rebellion but we have changed it for better and slowly by slowly we are standardizing the process,” Gen.Muhoozi said.
The UPDF generals who retired on Monday included Gen. Joram Mugume, Maj. Gen. Nathan Mugisha, Maj. Gen. Sam Turyagyenda, Maj. Gen.Jimmy Wills Byarugaba, Maj. Gen. Timothy Sabiiti Mutebile, Brig.Ramadan Kyamulesire, and Brig. Charles Angulo Wacha.
Others are Brig. Sam Kakuru, Brig. Matthias Ssewankambo, Brig. Gyagenda Kibirango, Brig.David Kaboyo, Brig.Tom Tumuhairwe, Brig. Emmanuel Musinguzi, Brig.John Mugogo Tumwebaze, Brig.John Mulindwa, Brig.Kenneth Ocen Obwot, Brig. Adolf Sserwadda, Brig.Francis Achoka Ongom, Brig.Charles Anywa and Brig.John Mary Kaganda.