President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commissioned 280 officer cadets from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces at the Uganda Military Academy in Mubende District, according to Nile Post. The ceremony marked the completion of training for two distinct groups of cadets, including 187 professional officers who began their studies in early 2026 and 87 Bachelor of Defence Studies students who started in late 2023. The newly commissioned group included eleven female officers and six cadets who completed portions of their training at institutions in the United Kingdom and India.
During the event, Museveni emphasized that national defence relies heavily on a robust economy. He argued that the military must collaborate with other state institutions to protect key productive sectors, including commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and information and communication technology. The President specifically highlighted the need to secure assets distributed to farmers under the Parish Development Model, describing the theft of livestock as a form of sabotage that undermines government efforts to improve household incomes.
Museveni also stressed the importance of the relationship between the army and the general population, using the metaphor of fish in the sea to describe the necessity of public support. He called for increased investment in science and technology to address historical technological gaps in Africa and urged African nations to coordinate their strategic capabilities across land, air, maritime, and space domains.
Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba reported that the security environment in Uganda and the wider region remained relatively calm, with ongoing peace missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Somalia making progress. However, he noted a recent rise in violent domestic crime, where perpetrators use machetes and firearms to rob and assault citizens. Kainerugaba assured the public that security agencies were coordinating operations to restore the sanctity of life and property.
Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka praised the President's commitment to military professionalisation and highlighted cooperation with regional partners such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania. The minister urged the new officers to lead with integrity and remain loyal to the constitution. The ceremony concluded with the recognition of top performers, including Officer Cadet Enos Kugumaho, who was named the overall best performer from the Special Forces Command.