From a foot soldier to medical personnel; Robert Masaba’s story of serving in Somalia

For Warrant Office One (WO1) Robert Masaba’s story has been one of rising from scratch to greater heights that include being the head of the UPDF medical personnel serving in Somalia under the AMISOM.

Prior to the 1996 elections, Masaba, who had just completed his senior six was one of the youths who willingly asked to help mobilise voters to participate in the polls.

These youth were later rewarded by being allowed to join the UPDF so as to continue offering services to their country.

Fast forward, the man who joined the army after completing his advanced level has been able to scale up the heights to attain a master’s degree in Medicine and is currently the head of the UPDF medical services in Somalia.

According to Masaba, joining the army was a blessing in disguise. He said he did not regret ever running away from the profession (of teaching) that his father had wanted him to join.

“Mzee(dad) wanted me to become a teacher but when the opportunity of joining the army came, I received it with both hands and ignored his advice of becoming a teacher,” Masaba said.

He said that when he joined the army, he was deployed in the medical section despite being a senior six leaver.

Among the battles he participated in was in DR Congo between the late 1990s and early 2000s in an operation code named: ‘Safe Haven’.

Masaba narrates that he later applied to go for higher education before attaining a first degree in Medicine and later a masters’ degree all from Makerere University.

This has enabled him despite being at a low rank to be appointed the head of UPDF medical services in Somalia since his deployment under AMISOM last year.

Proud doctor and soldier

WO1 Masaba said he is proud to have joined the army and later become one of the physicians, doing a noble job of saving other people's lives.

“When you begin and go through the training sometimes you regret but when all that is done, you thank God for showing you the light," he said.

He remembers the day he felt very proud when he was deployed for an outreach program by the army in Kayunga district.

“All people were running away from civilian doctors looking for someone in uniform. It showed the confidence people have in us. I felt so proud,” Masaba said.

He however regrets the day during operation safe haven when one of his colleagues died because they could not evacuate him for further medical attention.

He said: “Because of the thick bushes, the helicopter could not land and our colleague died. I felt bad about losing a colleague.”

Masaba is thankful to God who has seen him move from a foot soldier to attaining a master’s degree and being deployed to offer medical services in Somalia.

“I am happy to be offering this service with pride and every success is for the country. The decision to join the army was a blessing in disguise.”