President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commended the educated people for improving the quality of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
“We value the educated young people, and we want them for our institutions, especially the scientists. The educated people including the social scientists have improved the quality of our army,” he said.
Gen. Museveni made the remarks on Wednesday 20th March, 2024 at State House-Entebbe while delivering a lecture of opportunity to a group of 89 scientists who were taken through a two-month basic military training at Sera-Kasenyi Training School last year.
The scientists included computer scientists, electrical engineers, Information Technology professionals, Software engineers, Telecom engineers, mechanical engineers, civil engineers, among others.
Out of the 89 scientists, 32 expressed willingness to join the army and continue with the military training.
President Museveni informed the scientists that in the past, the army was for the illiterate people, and it could not perform, citing it as one of the reasons why the armies of Idi Amin and Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) failed.
The President was also happy to note that the young scientists are coming out as change agents in Uganda.
“This has been my work for the last more than 60 years to develop young people into priests of change. Your qualifications and disciplines are what we need to build a modern army and economy,” he emphasised.
“Between 1976-1978, I trained in Mozambique 28 cadres, and these are the ones who built up our army. Only 3 of them are surviving; Gen. Saleh, Gen. Ivan Koreta and another officer called Brig. Omule. You can imagine the 28 people are the ones who built this powerful army because I brought them and they trained others,” he added.
President Museveni also congratulated the scientists who had chosen a path of serving the country through the army. He however advised them that they should not join the armed forces because he asked them to, but they should do so based on their personal decision.
“I congratulate the ones who feared to join the army because you do what you like. Never do what you don’t like, never do things because people want you to do them, not even your parents. You should tell them that this is what I want.
When I was doing what I was doing, none of my parents understood what I was doing. When I went to Mozambique, people thought I was mad and when we started fighting, they thought we were mad people but we were right and convinced and the majority were wrong, so you do what you like. I wanted you to join the army but don’t join because I want you to join,” he explained.
“At the same time of course, I want to congratulate those who want to join the army. They should join because they like, not because I told them to do so. This is not conscription where you make people join the army whether they like it or not. Our army is totally a volunteer army.”
On the other hand, President Museveni ordered the Deputy Commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC), Brig. Gen. Charity Bainababo to ensure that the scientists who are not joining the army are recruited into other science areas.
“Then you can think of your own private enterprises which I can also support if it is a good project,” he assured the scientists.