The UPDF Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen David Muhoozi has observed that, Covid 19 Pandemic has tested the capabilities of the mighty and the small around the globe in confronting the unprecedented. The CDF said this at Uganda’s prestigious Senior Command and Staff College ( SCSC) in Kimaka -Jinja District while conducting a quality assessment session of both international and national students at the college.

Gen Muhoozi who spent a full-day academic assessment with the students was impressed by the performance of participants in a two weeks training exercise superintended by the college’s Commandant Lt Gen Andrew Gutti. “They have a good grasp of what has been taught and how to put it into practice. I’m confident that these officers will add value at the operational level”. Gen Muhoozi said.

Aligning the training with the current Covid 19 Pandemic trend and other security challenges, the CDF noted that the current global disaster challenges will necessitate reinforcing the training scope of the officers on operations other than war. “Our focus is mainly on war fighting, but we also need to widen our perspective to non-kinetic operations to handle situations like the Covid 19 and other disasters. Nevertheless, in Uganda, so far so good,” he said. He added that, response to crisis is one of the core roles of the UPDF, which the Force has effectively fulfilled. He called upon other militaries to take the experience as an eye opener to crosscheck their capabilities and preparedness in handling unprecedented situations.

Gen David Muhoozi further observed that the multinational training environment in Kimaka fosters exposure of officers to international military practice and interoperability and has by far contributed in boosting war fighters and staff officers at the operational level.

Lt Gen Andrew Gutti in his remarks, thanked the CDF General David Muhoozi and the Commander in Chief ( C in C) Gen(rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the continued guidance and support given to the college to perform to the expected international standards. “Our students both International and national have always appreciated the ambiance and environment of the college that give the required standards for academic excellence, we thank you and the C in C for the strategic guidance”. Said the Commandant.

The concluded two weeks training exercise involving students from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda is part of the year long grade II course leading to the award of a Master’s degree in Defence Studies from Uganda’s Makerere University.
Makerere University academic staff as well as senior military trainers from the East African Community Partner States, South Africa and India teach the students.

Gen Muhoozi was accompanied by the Commander UPDF Air Force Lt Gen Charles Lutaaya, the Chief of Staff Land Forces Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, the Chief of Training and Recruitment Brig Gen James Kinalwa, the Chief of Operations Brig Gen Francis Chemonges, the Deputy Chief of Logistics and Engineering Brig Gen Jackson Mulondo among other General and Senior officers of the UPDF.