Gen Kainerugaba Vows to Deal With all Criminal Gangs as President Museveni Commissions 280 Cadets.

President Museveni Commissions 280 Officer Cadets at Kabamba 20 October 2026 President and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has commissioned 280 officer cadets who completed the Bachelor of Defence Studies and Professional Cadet programmes at the Uganda Military Academy (UMA), Kabamba. The graduates comprised 87 cadets from the Bachelor of Defence Studies (Intake 05/23-23) and 193 from the Professional Cadet Course (Intake 09/26). Among them were six cadets trained abroad, including two female officers. Officer Cadets Ruhamya Kainerugaba and Bakari Andrew trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK, while Officer Cadets Aniyonde Penina, Abut Edith, Omoding Junior and Tumwine Innocent trained in Chennai, India. Five cadets were from partner defence forces - two from Kenya, one from Rwanda and two from Tanzania. Addressing the newly commissioned officers, President Museveni outlined key pillars for building a strong defence force: a robust economy, a close relationship between the army and the population, professional training, investment in science and technology, and strategic cooperation among African countries. "One of the factors is a strong economy. A strong economy would be able to support a strong army," he said. He urged UPDF leaders to identify factors undermining growth and work with stakeholders to ensure sustained economic expansion driven by wealth creators in commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services and ICT. On rising crime, President Museveni warned that criminal acts undermine wealth creation and must be dealt with firmly. "That's sabotage. It must not be tolerated," he said. The President emphasized discipline and good conduct as essential to maintaining public trust, recalling that popular support had sustained fighters during the liberation struggle. He called for greater investment in science and technology to address Africa's historical technological disadvantages and urged African countries to coordinate defence capabilities across land, air, sea and space. He commended the UPDF leadership for improving soldiers' welfare and combating corruption. The President directed the military leadership to prioritize training institutions and develop them into modern centres of excellence. He also advised the new officers to safeguard their health for a long and productive career. The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, thanked the President for his guidance in strengthening Uganda's defence capabilities. He commended the UPDF leadership under CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba for advancing professionalisation, human resource development, infrastructure and welfare. Hon. Kiwanuka highlighted military cooperation with Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, noting that joint training enhances interoperability and regional stability. He urged the new officers to uphold discipline, integrity and loyalty to the Constitution. "Wear your uniform with honour, lead with integrity... Always put the mission, your soldiers and the interests of the people of Uganda above your personal ambition," he said. The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, congratulated the cadets for their discipline, endurance and commitment. "You have exhibited great discipline, endurance, and commitment in your officer training, and today I welcome you to the great UPDF Officer Corps," he said. He noted significant progress in training, equipment acquisition and welfare over the past three years and reaffirmed the UPDF's contribution to socio-economic transformation and regional peace efforts in the DRC, South Sudan and Somalia. Addressing violent crime, Gen Kainerugaba said such acts "will not be tolerated" and that security agencies under the Interagency Security Framework were synchronising efforts to restore the right to life and property. The Commandant of UMA Kabamba, Brig Gen Saad Katemba, said the programmes were designed to support national security and strategic development. He noted that training was shifting towards critical thinking and informed decision-making through partnership with Makerere University. He said the Bachelor of Defence Studies runs for three years, combining academic studies and military leadership training within a regimental environment. He advised graduates to guard against manipulative groups and remain steadfast in professional values. The ceremony was attended by Members of Parliament, Service Chiefs, the Chief of Joint Staff, formation commanders, defence attachés from partner nations and other General Officers.