Mubende, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has called on Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers to resist divisive identity politics and instead champion Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, regional unity, and strategic security.
Speaking to officers undergoing training at the Armoured Warfare Training School (AWTS) in Karama, Mubende, the President emphasized that Uganda’s prosperity hinges on rejecting sectarianism and fully embracing the four core ideological principles of Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-Economic Transformation, and Democracy.
Delivering a Lecture of Opportunity from State House Entebbe, Museveni, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, urged officers to remember Africa’s historical setbacks—colonialism, political instability, and underdevelopment—as consequences of disunity and poor governance.
“The UPDF is not just a fighting force, but an instrument of revolution,” the President said, encouraging the officers to promote economic productivity through “ekibaro” (a return on investment), rather than dependency on foreign aid.
Citing Uganda’s production surpluses, 700,000 metric tons of sugar against 300,000 consumed locally and 5.4 billion litres of milk with only 800 million consumed domestically, Museveni stressed the need for Pan-African cooperation and regional markets to absorb Uganda’s excess.
He warned that transformation cannot be optional, likening it to pregnancy: “When you’re pregnant, you cannot negotiate it away. Change is inevitable.”
On the matter of strategic security, Museveni reiterated his long-standing advocacy for East African integration, recalling the missed opportunity for federation in 1963 and calling for renewed momentum toward regional unity anchored in shared heritage and undugu (brotherhood).
Brig. Gen. Peter Chandia, Commandant of AWTS, thanked the President for his insights, noting that the lecture had enriched the officers’ ideological understanding and reinforced their commitment to the country’s transformation agenda.
The address was attended by senior instructors and commanders. The current intake at the Armoured Warfare Training School is expected to graduate in July 2025.
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