Lt Gen Sam Okiding, the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, has called on newly promoted officers of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) to work together in the fight against corruption.
He emphasised that fighting corruption requires collective responsibility, stating, “It involves serious individuals like you. If we don’t fight it, we shall destroy ourselves. The destruction will start here within the UPDF before it affects the country and the region. Let us remove it,it is not good; it is letting us down,” he said during a pipping ceremony at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) Headquarters in Mbuya.
During the ceremony, two Colonels who were promoted to Brigadier General and 17 Lieutenant Colonels who were promoted to Colonel were decorated with their respective ranks.
Lt Gen Okiding noted the divine nature of the officers’ promotions, urging them to take on their new responsibilities with greater commitment. Quoting Isaiah 60:22, he added, “Apart from enjoying and celebrating, also expect more responsibilities to be handled by you. I am confident and happy that you will manage it very well.”
On behalf of the promoted officers, Brig Gen Paul Wanyera Namawa, Chief of Staff – Special Force Command, thanked President Yoweri Museveni and the Commander-in-Chief for his leadership, reflecting on the UPDF’s transformation into a professional force. “This day reminds us of the legacy we inherit from the brave men and women who made immense sacrifices for this country. As we take on the responsibilities of our new ranks, we are acutely aware that leadership is not about authority but service to our country, families, and citizens,” said Brig Gen Namawa.
He urged his fellow officers to embrace their new roles with a “renewed sense of purpose and commitment to serve our nation with pride,” encouraging them to lead with humility, integrity, and excellence, and to uphold the highest standards in all their actions.
Present at the ceremony were senior UPDF officials, including Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, Chief of Joint Staff; Maj Gen Francis Okello, Commandant of the National Defence College – Uganda; and Maj Gen Henry Masiko, Joint Staff Political Commissariat; Chief of Staff UPDF Air Force, Brig Gen David Gonyi; Joint Staff Human Resource Management, Brig Gen James Kinalwa, Joint Staff Legal Services, Moses Wandera, Generals, spouses and family members of the promoted officers, other senior and junior officers.