Kampala, Uganda: The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has officially opened the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) annual Defence Strategic Retreat, bringing together senior military commanders and civilian officials to review performance and chart the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs’ (MoDVA) strategic priorities for the 2026/27 financial year.
The three-day retreat, which began on Saturday at the Defence Intelligence and Security Headquarters in Mbuya, is one of the ministry’s most important annual planning engagements, focusing on strengthening defence planning, resource allocation and institutional coordination.
Gen. Kainerugaba chaired the first two days of the conference over the weekend, leading discussions on operational performance, institutional reforms and interdepartmental coordination aimed at enhancing national security and defence preparedness.
The conference is expected to conclude on Tuesday, when the CDF will present the consolidated strategic priorities and recommendations to the Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, who will officially close the retreat.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the annual strategic retreat serves as a key platform for reviewing the ministry’s achievements, identifying operational gaps and aligning defence policies with emerging national and regional security challenges ahead of implementation of the 2026/27 National Budget.
The retreat has brought together top UPDF commanders, senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, and technical experts, including the Under Secretary for Finance and Administration, Edith Butuuro.
Officials say the engagement is intended to strengthen collaboration between the UPDF and the ministry’s civilian leadership while ensuring defence expenditure and strategic programmes are aligned with government priorities for the new financial year.
The annual exercise has become an integral part of the ministry’s institutional planning framework, helping guide policy implementation, improve accountability and ensure resources are directed towards priority security interventions.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
