President Yoweri Museveni has reiterated his detest for corrupt officials. While officiating at the second graduation ceremony of the National Defence College (NDC) .
“I am here at NDC Uganda to launch the fight against corruption. The politicians and those in public service have devoured our country; they misuse financial resources, fuel, and even food,” Museveni stated. “Since they’re a small group, they are easy to deal with. We shall crush them because they sabotage our economy and service delivery.”
Museveni, who likened corrupt officials in his government to a housefly falling into a cup of tea, revealed that in Ankole, such tea is poured away. “We are ready to crush everyone. If a leaf falls in tea, we just remove it. But if a fly falls in the tea, we shall pour it away. The corrupt are the flies, and we shall pour them away,” Museveni threatened.
He said rampant corruption has driven people to seek foreign aid, which he emphasized Uganda doesn’t need. “I hear some talking of foreign aid, and I just go and sleep. The country doesn’t want foreign aid, but the problem is you, the corrupt. The UPDF is somehow good but has a few corrupt individuals, and we shall deal with them,” he said.
In what appeared to be a signal, the president mentioned that he would provide more details about his fight against corruption in the State of the Nation Address on June 6.
The president, who passed out 21 senior officers, commended the defense colleges in the country for enhancing the professionalism of army officers to promote the country’s security. He said the training schools expose everything and pledged to make them centers of excellence.
“Uganda’s defense colleges are attracting individuals from foreign countries. They come from different nations to study here and are paying for these facilities,” he added. He directed UPDF to uplift the standards of all army training schools to be centers of excellence, not forgetting infrastructure.
The 21 graduates joined the college on June 5, 2023, and successfully completed their course on June 1, 2024. These included two lady officers: Col. Dr. Victoria Nekesa, a Member of Parliament representing UPDF, Col. Sylvia Memme, and a civilian, Arthur Blick Kamya, who is an Assistant Commissioner in the Ministry of Defence Veteran Affairs.
Maj. Gen. Francis Okello, the college commandant, said the senior officers showcased diligence and a positive attitude and commitment not only to learning but also to sharing experiences amongst themselves. “Today marks another huge milestone in the journey of the college. We are graduating another cohort who diligently spent their time here with a very positive attitude and commitment not only to learn but also to share experiences amongst themselves,” said Maj. Gen. Okello.
“I am happy to report that all NDC course members successfully completed the National Security and Strategic Studies course (the NDC Course) and have also passed all the exams of the first part of their Masters in Security Strategy program at Makerere University. After leaving NDC, they will continue to complete their research papers for the award of the Master’s degree,” he said.
“The success we are registering today in sending out these prepared, committed, and ideologically conscious senior officers to make their contribution in securing Uganda’s future is because of all your collective efforts.”
Participants are awarded certificates in National Security Strategic Studies (NSSS) and a National Defence College – Uganda badge. The NSSS runs for 11 months, while the Master of Security Strategy (MASS) takes two years. The best overall student was former UPDF spokesperson Col. Paddy Ankunda.
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