“You are here to defend the legitimate interests of your country. You must know why you are defending your country. The NRM has managed to perform well because it has followed the set priorities. This enabled government to build UPDF. All we needed was food. From 1971 to 1986, we were building an army that worked without pay. In 1987, we had low pay. Three years ago, a private was given the same salary as a grade three teacher,” Museveni said.
President Yoweri Museveni has said the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) struggled through low pay and tough conditions to develop into a force to reckon with so it was time soldiers were paid better.
Museveni passing out cadets
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The president made these remarks while passing out professional officer cadets who have completed their three year course at the Uganda Military Academy – Kabamba in Mubende District.
In 2019, the Uganda Military Academy teamed up with Makerere University to start running the three-year officer cadet training programme. This programme led to the award of Bachelor of Defence Studies Degree as per the East African Community Sectoral Council Protocol on Cooperation in Defence Affairs.
To aid the programme, Museveni said government focused on providing training, food and other essentials.
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He added that, through the furnace the UPDF’s deprivation, the army kept performing and so it was now time for soldiers to be rewarded. He noted that a Brigadier will be paid well, adding that officers from the rank of Major to Colonel would be given a 50% increment.
Gen. Museveni said he was happy to commission the cadets as UPDF officers after they attained bachelor’s degrees in defence studies, he also hailed Makerere lecturers for a job well done in teaching these cadets
