The Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs Hon Vicent Ssempijja Bamulangaki yesterday opened a two-day orientation retreat for Members of Parliament on the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee at Speke Resort Munyonyo-Kampala.
The retreat which will close today 19th Nov 2021 has been organized by the leaders of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) and Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) with the main objective being to orient the new MPs on the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee on the core policies and activities of MoDVA/UPDF.
The discussions covered policies and activities of MoDVA/UPDF in the areas of finance, planning, policy, budgeting, personnel management, recruitment and training, logistics management, UPDF Health Services, UPDF construction projects, National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) operations, among others.
The interface also covered the overall security situation in the country, as well as the regional security situation in the neighbouring countries of Somalia, Mozambique, Khartoum-Sudan, and South Sudan among others.
While opening the retreat, Hon Ssempijja applauded Members of Parliament who were headed by the Chairperson for Defence and Internal affairs committee of Parliament and Woman MP representing Sheema District, Hon Rosemary Nyakikongoro for turning up for the retreat and for working together with the Defence Ministry to propel the sector to another level.
He said this retreat will help to enrich the new MPs’ understanding and appreciation of the core policies and activities of MoDVA/UPDF.
“In spite of our differing mandates, this engagement is quite timely as it offers us a good platform to share and forge ways of working together as we strive to deliver national peace and security as a public good” he remarked.
He added that whereas a lot has been achieved under the visionary leadership and guidance of H.E the President and Commander in Chief, more needs to be done if we are to achieve security overmatch in the region,further calling upon the security chiefs and the committee members to work and move as a team and drive the sector and the country forward.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Mrs. Rosette Byengoma in a presentation made on her bahalt by the Under Secretary Finance and Administration / Accounting Offier Mrs. Edith Buturo highlighted some of the progresses that the Ministry has made in the FY 2021/2022 budget which include but not limited to; the recruitment of 10,500 LDUs who are currently undergoing training pending integration into the UPDF where they will be integrated from the level of Private, the Construction of the National Military Referral Hospital where the construction works are at 70% as well as the establishment of the National Defence College (NDC) located at Njeru-Jinja as an institution of excellence in defence and national security studies.
The Chief of Defence Forces Gen Wilson Mbasu Mbadi and Member of Parliament representing UPDF in Parliament remarked that despite the anxiety created by the recent cowardly terror attacks perpetrated by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)/ Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) elements, UPDF remains course to achieve the objectives as prescribed in NDP III and in line with vision 2040 through recruitment, training, equipping and sustaining the force to meet the emerging and future challenges and threats.
He called upon the Members of Parliament to continue working with MoDVA/UPDF so as to build a professional, effective, efficient and accountable force.
The CDF concluded his remarks quoting from the Bible in 2 Corinthians 8:20-21 “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.”
Some other key personalities in attendance were the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran affairs In charge of Veteran affairs Hon. Huda Abason Oleru, Deputy CDF Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, Lt Gen James Mugira Managing Director of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Joint Chief of Staff of the UPDF Maj Gen Leopold Eric Kyanda, Service Commanders, Commissioner in charge of Human resource in MoDVA, Mr Aguzo Alfred.