Museveni urges military officers to embrace science and technology

President Museveni has called on senior and junior officers of the joint security forces (UPDF, Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service) to insist on the development of science and technology for the social economic transformation of communities.

Museveni made the remark on Tuesday, while giving a lecture on opportunity to students who are undergoing ideological training at the National Leadership Institute (NALI-Kyankwanzi) and Oliver Reginald Tambo Leadership School (ORTLS- Kaweweta).

“What is the primer of social change is the development of science and technology to change society,” noted the President.

He said changing technology involves changing everything like culture, accommodation, eating habits, and way of life, among others.

“Technology is a basis for change in society. Therefore, cadres should insist on the adoption of technology for society to change. Do not insist on old ways when new ways of transforming societies are everywhere,” emphasized Museveni.

He added that man has superiority over nature, when he uses his superior brain, bi-pedal legs and the two hands to exploit nature to his advantage. He gave the example of the invention of fire and iron ore by man, saying this invention has both the good and ugly sides depending on its applicability.

The President also noted that to change society; man uses tools (scientific inventions) to guide people and fight superstitions.

He, however, reiterated the need for ideological consciousness for a prosperous nation.

“The NRM ideology to uphold patriotism, Pan-Africanism, democracy and socio-economic transformation builds sustainable prosperity,” Museveni told the soon to be passed out officers.

He further noted the need for having a strong and modern army to guard the peace and stability for prosperity to flourish, and also called for the need to maintain ideological training so as to get answers to social problems.

He concluded by urging officers to love Uganda, and Africa and to become modern people who moved from no science to science.

The UPDF Chief Political Commissar, Maj Gen Henry Masiko requested the President to consider availing more accommodation facilities for the students at the two ideological training schools. He said ORTLS is purely a central school of ideology for UPDF since NALI is now national and has many competing demands.

“To maintain the tempo of ideological work, in terms, of producing deeply trained cadres, we need to empower Oliver Tambo as our central school of political education,” said Maj Gen Masiko.

While delivering a lecture on wealth creation at the same event, the Deputy Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, Maj Gen Sam Kavuma thanked students for their endurance during the training period.