@blackmedia788: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commissioned 280 Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) officer cadets, urging them to remain focused on their military careers and avoid distractions that could derail their service. President Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, made the remarks today during the commissioning ceremony for Officer Cadets Intake 09/26 and Bachelor of Defence Studies Intake 05/23/29 at Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba in Mubende District. The 280 commissioned cadets included 187 professionals who began training in February 2026 and 87 Bachelor of Defence Studies cadets who started their training on September 18, 2023. The latter class initially enrolled 100 cadets, but 14 did not complete the programme. Eleven of those commissioned are female. Six additional officer cadets received training abroad, including Officer Cadets Ruhamya Kainerugaba and Andrew Bakira, who trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, while four others trained in India.The ceremony was attended by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and his wife, Mrs. Charlotte Kainerugaba; Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka; Uganda Military Academy-Kabamba Commandant Brig. Gen. Saad Katemba; and other senior military officers. Lt. Col. John Mugarura commanded the parade. Outstanding cadets received awards for their performance before the newly commissioned officers took the oaths of allegiance and secrecy. Economy key to strong National Defence: Congratulating the graduates, President Museveni described their commissioning as the beginning of a long journey of service in an institution whose effectiveness depends on discipline, commitment and sound leadership. “First of all, congratulations to the graduates. You have started a long journey in a very honourable organisation, the UPDF. If you do your part and don't get diverted, you will make a good contribution,” he said. He thanked the cadets’ families, the academy and the UPDF leadership for supporting their training. President Museveni emphasised that a strong economy is one of the fundamental pillars of an effective national defence system, arguing that the military must work alongside other institutions to protect the country’s productivesectors. The President also called for a firm response to crime in communities, particularly the theft of livestock distributed to farmers under the Parish Development Model (PDM). “When you get thieves stealing the goats and cows from the farmers which have been given by the PDM, that's sabotage. It shouldn't be tolerated,” he warned. Discipline, technology and training: President Museveni stressed that the relationship between the army and the population remains critical to national security, urging officers to maintain discipline and demonstrate respect for the communities they serve. “The strategic relationship between the army and the people [is important]. The army must always make sure that it is like fish in the sea,” he said, recalling how public support helped the liberation struggle despite shortages of weapons. On regional security, President Museveni urged African countries to strengthen strategic coordination and build joint capabilities across land, air, maritime and space domains. “We need to coordinate with our brother African countries to work together so that we createcapacity on land, air, at sea and even space because that's where the war is now,” he said. He commended the CDF and other commanders for efforts to fight corruption and improve the welfare of soldiers, including better accommodation and pay. President Museveni said the government would also prioritise modernising military training institutions, adding that the facilities should meet high international standards. “I have told the CDF and his commanders that we need to prioritise these training infrastructures. They can be made state-of-the-art. It is good to have the best in the world when you are training from

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Wednesday 21 October 2026 14:09:10 GMT