The Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Saturday evening hosted retired United States Army Lieutenant General Michael Thomas Flynn to a dinner at Serena Hotel Kigo.
During the engagement, Gen Kainerugaba thanked Lt Gen Flynn for taking time to visit the country, describing the meeting as the beginning of a meaningful relationship. “We used to study some of his papers when we were at Fort Leavenworth and we are honoured that he is here with us. I believe this is the beginning of a very consequential and important relationship,” Gen. Kainerugaba said.
The CDF noted that much of their earlier discussions focused on the role of education in building responsible citizens and future leaders. He emphasised the importance of educating young people to love their country, value their nation and uphold strong moral values.
According to Gen Kainerugaba, the discussions also explored the potential role of the military in strengthening education systems and leadership development among young people. He explained that the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces already runs military primary and secondary schools which follow the national curriculum set by the Ministry of Education and Sports, but noted that there may be lessons to learn from the United States model.
Gen Kainerugaba cited the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), a program integrated within schools that prepares young people for leadership and military service. “Perhaps we need to think about how we can develop something similar within our own system,” he said.
Lt Gen Flynn, who served in the United States military for over 33 years, emphasised the importance of building lasting relationships between nations and institutions. “The most important thing you can do in life is develop relationships with people and make those relationships last over time. Relationships matter most when you are in trouble. You don’t want to build them in a moment of crisis,” Lt Gen Flynn said. He observed that Africa, particularly Uganda, holds significant potential due to its youthful population and emerging opportunities.
Lt Gen Flynn also underscored the importance of education and leadership development within the armed forces, noting that strong institutions depend on preparing the next generation of leaders. “The generals eventually go away, and we have to develop new leaders. Where you develop leaders best is often in the military, where there is focus on discipline, training, education and teamwork.”
He added that Uganda’s youthful population presents a unique opportunity for national development if properly guided through structured education, leadership training and discipline.
Among those present at the dinner were Uganda’s Ambassador to the United States Robie Kakonge; Joint Staff Human Resource Management, Maj. Gen. James Kinalwa; the Coordinator of National Vital Assets and Strategic Installations, Maj. Gen. Moses Rwakitarate; Maj. Gen. Chris Ddamulira, among other Generals and Senior military officers.