President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who holds the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF), announced these theses at the graduation ceremony of the fourth set of the Uganda National Defense College (NDC-U) in Njeru, located in Buikwe District. The strategic management program was successfully completed by 21 people, including 20 high-ranking officers and one representative of the civilian staff of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Addressing the graduates, Museveni called on them to contribute to the implementation of the country's socio-economic development policy, while strengthening ties at the regional and African levels. «Please accept my congratulations on the successful completion of your studies», Museveni said.
Museveni outlined three strategic directions that, according to his vision, are critically important for ensuring the security of Uganda and the entire African continent: socio-economic transformation, the development of the education system and strengthening regional integration.
The primary task of the state is to modernize the economy through the involvement of the population in highly productive income-generating industries. «To ensure Africa's security, it is necessary to carry out a deep socio-economic transformation of Uganda, which will lead to the elimination of poverty among the peasantry and the urban population («baaye»), forming a qualitatively new society. Without this, the protection of the continent will become impossible», he said.
An economic breakthrough requires the integration of citizens into money circulation through four basic areas: commercial agricultural production, manufacturing and handicrafts, the service sector, and the information technology (ICT) sector. He emphasized that a huge number of Ugandans are still not covered by formal financial mechanisms. «According to our latest data, only 67% of the population participates in the monetary economy, while 33% are engaged only in subsistence farming for survival. Our goal is to involve all citizens in economic processes through these four key sectors», he added.
In addition, the President of Uganda highlighted the importance of affordable education, pointing out that basic reading, writing, numeracy and professional qualifications are the foundation for prosperity. «Providing every person with literacy, numeracy skills and special training will become a catalyst for economic growth and the general welfare of the nation», he concluded.
Nevertheless, the head of state warned that simple economic growth is not enough to guarantee national security. In his opinion, political disunity prevents African countries from building up high-tech defense capabilities and competing on equal terms with the world's leading players.
The President of Uganda reiterated his commitment to the idea of creating an East African Federation and deepening continental integration, stressing that cohesion would allow states to consolidate assets and strengthen their strategic weight. The united East African bloc will gain enormous advantages in protecting land, sea, air and space borders. «The formation of the East African Federation will make us invincible, as we will gain access to the sea, create a fleet, strengthen the aviation wing and build a large-scale economy», Museveni said. As an example, he cited the United States, China, Russia and India, states that have invested heavily in strategic areas, including space.
During the ceremony, President Museveni pledged to allocate 50 billion Ugandan shillings for scaling up and upgrading the Uganda National Defense College.
Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, Minister of Defense and Veterans Affairs, noted that this ceremony confirms the state's commitment to improving strategic management, high-quality military education and strengthening defense capabilities. She expressed gratitude to President Museveni and the UPDF command for the increase in the standard of living of military personnel, expressed in increased salaries, modernization of everyday life and infrastructure development. «This is a clear confirmation of your course towards the formation of highly motivated, qualified and effective units», she stressed.
Brigadier General Alex Olupot, Commandant of the Uganda National Defense College, stressed that the graduation confirms the country's readiness to educate leaders capable of coping with complex challenges on a national, regional and global scale.
NDC-U was founded four years ago with the aim of training senior officers, officials and foreign delegates to fulfill strategic-level tasks. 22 people were initially enrolled in the fourth stream, but one participant left the training for strategic reasons. The program included in-depth study of strategic studies, policy analysis, national programs, as well as study trips to Nigeria and Algeria.
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