Prime
Bury me in military uniform, says Museveni
President Museveni at the Kabamba pass-out. PPU PHOTO
Dressed in green uniform, pink beret and black boots, President Museveni stood on the podium, decorated in national colours, as he commissioned 393 officer cadets in Kabamba Military Academy on Tuesday.
In his speech punctuated with Luganda and Runyankole proverbs, Mr Museveni applauded the National Resistance Army, now Uganda People’s Defence Forces, for “freedom and stability” in the country.
“This country is where it is because of this uniform (military). It’s a uniform of honour and that’s why I don’t put it off even when I’m an old man. Even when they are going to bury me, they should bury me in my uniform,” he said.
His love for military uniform has sometimes raised eyebrows when he is donned in full military attire while presiding over civilian functions. President Museveni, whose government is facing high unemployment figures, advised Ugandan youths not join the army as the last option in their job search.
“Don’t look at the army as a refugee camp. It’s a bad mentality to say, ‘I have failed to get a job in Uganda Revenue Authority, let me join the army’. That’s a very bad mentality,” he said.
Gen. Museveni said it is “patriotism and discipline” that UPDF has fought for and crushed a number of rebellions in and outside Uganda.The UPDF is one the few armies in Africa that has deployed across the continent-from Central Africa Republic to DRC, South Sudan and Somalia. Mr Museveni warned that the Uganda government would deal with anybody, internally or externally, who wants to destabilise Uganda.
“There are still some few remnants in DR Congo but they cannot come to disturb us. When President Kabila was here, we discussed this issue. If they need our support we are ready to give it to them. But they try to enter Uganda, we shall deal with them expeditiously,” he said.
Five of the military officers who graduated were from Rwanda. Ten Ugandans trained in Munduli Military Academy in Tanzania and Amos Basiima, who was trained in Sandhurst in the UK, also graduated. 2nd Lt. Basiima completed his course at Sandhurst, but was re-admitted at Kabakamba for training in political education.
The President also commissioned a multi-million shilling administration building at the academy, which houses classrooms, a computer laboratory and a conference hall.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, said they are planning to turn the newly-constructed building into a modern computer lab and a conference hall.
