President Yoweri .K.Museveni has asked the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to help push the agenda of East African Federation if the region must prosper.
According to Gen.Museveni, also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, the main message of the ruling National Resistance Movement, NRM from the onset is to ensure prosperity and strategic security of Uganda, East Africa and beyond.
He says to ensure prosperity, Africa must become one market under the spirit of Pan -Africanism which is one of the four core principles (NRM), others being Patriotism, Socio- Economic Transformation and Democracy.
The President was delivering a lecture of opportunity to officer cadets of the 2019/2022 intake under refresher training at Kabamba Military Academy.
Gen. Museveni noted that some Ugandans have started waking up and are engaging in commercial agriculture which has led to excess production that cannot be absorbed by the small market of Uganda and at times East Africa.
President Museveni has urged UPDF to help push the agenda of East African Federation
“Now even patriotism is not enough because we have got excess production. With economic prosperity, Africa must become one market,” Museveni said.
He said that, although past African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah were talking of having the whole of the African continent it might not be possible for now.
“We also talk of political integration of some of the areas that can be integrated like East Africa where we have so many things in common like the language (Swahili). Under East African Federation, we shall be bigger than India and that will guarantee strategic security.That’s why, politically, we support East African Federation.” he stated
President Museveni also urged the UPDF officers to help push for commercial agriculture so that people have enough production for cash and home consumption.
“The message of NRM for your families is to engage in commercial agriculture with calculation. What does this mean? Because if you have got four acres and less of land for the family, there are things you might not do and get money like sugar cane growing on a small piece of land,” Museveni said, adding that it’s the only sure way of wealth creation and employment because Government jobs are not enough for over 40 million Ugandans.
The President also cautioned against sectarianism saying that it’s the biggest enemy hindering prosperity, strategic security and socio-economic transformation.
He also called upon the officers to ensure protection of water catchment areas like wetlands and swamps because these are critical in providing water for irrigation now that Uganda is transforming from solely relying on rainfall for farming.
“We need the swamps with water to irrigate and produce all-year round. That’s why I’m chasing all the people from the swamp,” Gen. Museveni noted.
The lecture of opportunity was delivered to a total of 297 students on officer cadet course of intake 01/2019 and 04/2022, of which 42 officers are ladies who have all completed their syllabus and are now in final preparations for their commissioning.
Uganda Military Academy, Kabamba, aims at preparing and qualifying UPDF cadets to become combat officers capable of commanding their units during times of peace and war, under various psychological, physical and morale conditions.
They are also equipped with skills to maintain the highest level of combat efficiency and morale within their units.