Prime
Museveni urges army off social media
President Museveni inspecting a guard of honour during the pass out of cadet officers on September 9, 2023 in Mubende District. PHOTO/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- President Museveni also cautioned the newly commissioned officers against alcoholism and promiscuous lifestyles that affect their health.
President Museveni has urged soldiers to mind their lifestyles and be patriotic instead of “exchanging ignorance” on social media.
“I hear that you spend a lot of knowledge on social media. Are you chatting with people who are knowledgeable or you’re exchanging ignorance?” he questioned while passing out 295 officer cadets at the Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba in Mubende District.
On Saturday, President Museveni also cautioned the newly commissioned officers against alcoholism and promiscuous lifestyles that affect their health.
The Ugandan leader encouraged servicemen “to embrace knowledge by undergoing courses and reading widely.”
“UPDF has now covered many aspects of national defence. When we started, we had only infantry people but now, we have all the arms and we are working on launching a satellite, and more efforts in consolidating the marine forces to cater for many parts of Uganda covered by fresh waters,” he remarked.
“And once we launch our satellite, it will reinforce what we already have,” Museveni added.
Museveni, who turns 79 on September 15, told parents of the cadet officers not to bother their children in the armed forces by asking them for money.
“When they graduate, you start bothering them to send you money instead of you helping them. Why? Because the parents are not using resources to get out of poverty. Uganda has good weather so it’s not Godly to be poor,” Museveni emphasized.
Defense and Veteran Affairs minister Vincent Ssempijja told the cadets to stay united.
Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi said four of the students graduated from academies abroad in Kenya, Jamaica, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Uganda Military Academy Kabamba commandant Col Wycliff Keita revealed that of the 295 officer cadets, 32 are ladies.
About 236 cadets were drawn from UPDF specialized departments of medical, ICT, engineering, airforce, education, finance, legal services and procurement among others.
The professional cohort consists of four postgraduates, 129 graduates and 103 diploma holders with some from Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania.
“This represents the quality of the young generation of citizens that are taking a patriotic choice to serve their country under the UPDF,” the army observed.
“They have been trained in military knowledge and skills, but also exposed to political economy and the symbiosis of our responsibility in the wider social, economic, informational and diplomatic spheres of state power,” Col Keita added.
