JINJA, UGANDA: The Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu has tasked newly commissioned junior officers to desist from engaging in corruption tendencies, which he says could threaten their career growth.
While addressing the junior officers who underwent a five weeks course in pan-Africanism and human rights at the Non-commissioned Officers Academy-NCOA in Jinja City on Thursday, Elwelu said that cases of corruption are threatening different sectors in society and if it penetrates the UPDF, it will frustrate the consolidation of their gains within the country and East African region.
The 317 officers from the Special Forces Command-SFC, infantry, marine, and air force were retooled in leadership studies and taken through the revolutionary methods of the then National Resistance Army-NRA days and the entire world at large.
Elwelu further argued that UPDF is the backbone of Uganda through its reliable contribution towards peace and stability, therefore, any infiltration of corruption tendencies in the forces affects the country’s general progress.
He notes that the army has instituted clear measures to curb graft and all culprits involved, irrespective of their ranks are disciplined.
Elwelu says that most of the corruption-related tendencies in the forces are triggered by family pressures, which push some officers to indulge in corruption as a means of satisfying their desires.
Elwelu advised the officers to reveal their salary earnings to the family members, to avoid unrealistic demands.
Lt. Col. James Tugume, the Commander of the Academy implored the UPDF leadership to set up computer laboratories and libraries, to help officers during research.
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