The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has launched the 3rd annual units’ mobilisation of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) at 3rd Division headquarters, Moroto Army Barracks.
“We are here to enhance within the whole body of the UPDF our tested revolutionary methods of work in order to ensure an efficient and efficacious Peoples’ force, oriented on conscious discipline, following our Commander-in-Chief and President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s units tour in 2019,” remarked the CDF.
While addressing troops, the CDF said the exercise is aimed at increasing ideological awareness and securing frameworks that liberate the minds of officers, militants, defence workers and families.
The CDF urged the troops to refocus on the UPDF’s mandate which is to defend and protect the people and territorial integrity of Uganda and to ensure the inviolability of the peoples’ rights, rule of law and good governance in order to facilitate prosperity. “We must ensure integrity, teamwork, foster harmony with the ‘wananchi,’ understand both our institutional and individual responsibility,” said Gen Mbadi.
General Mbadi informed troops that UPDF’s plan for capability enhancement remains vital which requires the force to undertake all tasks and respond to national security, geo-strategic and kinetic threats. He said there is also a need to have training alongside capability enhancement and challenged commanders to train and customize soldiers’ skills to cope with changing situations and operations to undertake.
On welfare, the CDF explained the UPDF strategic leadership remains steadfast and focused on addressing the welfare gaps which include accommodation for soldiers through the construction of housing units based on customized brigade groups, health facilities, accessing Defence Forces Shop duty-free items and the gradual increment of their salaries.
The General Manager of Uganda Air Cargo Corporation, Lt Gen Nakibus Lakara stressed that the UPDF stems its strength from the core foundation of NRA as a revolutionary army hinged on ideological consciousness and loyalty as opposed to mechanical discipline. He encouraged the troops to uphold and live to the desired core values and ethos.
Brig Gen Felix Busizoori, the 3 Division Deputy Commander highlighted the achievements of the disarmament operation (Usalama Kwa Wote) as it has resulted in the relative calm that is prevailing in Karamoja Sub-region and greater Eastern Uganda.
He promised that once a few tactical challenges are addressed, with the guidance of executive order number three (3) of 2023 dated 19 May 2023 on disarmament operation issued by His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, total peace and normalcy shall be restored in Karamoja and neighbouring Sub-regions to create desired conditions for socio-economic transformation.
On their part, the Director of Medical Services Brig Gen Dr James Kiyengo and his counterpart, Hon. Col Dr. Victoria Nekesa explained to the troops the importance of maintaining individual physical body fitness and metabolic health to match the well-deserving body max index for good soldering.
The Deputy Chief of Civil-Military Co-operation, (D/CIMIC) Col Sam Ntabirwe encouraged troops to double efforts in the fight against environmental degradation by planting more trees in order to restore the ecosystem and forest covers.
Col Ntabirwe noted that in a bid to conserve the environment, the UPDF recently partnered with the National Forest Authority and A million trees where thousands of seedlings were planted in Elgon, Karamoja Sub-region and the greater Mbarara.
Col Deo Karikona, the Director of Human Rights and team one coordinator reminded the troops to embrace the NRA/UPDF code of conduct and ensure respect for human rights protection.
The CDF unit mobilisation exercise is an annual activity that was introduced in December 2020. To conduct this annual nationwide mobilization exercise, different teams from UPDF strategic headquarters in close coordination and harmony with tactical commanders’ traverse and visit different formations and units of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces.
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