Ugandan army to start own National Defence College
The Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF, Gen David Muhoozi has launched a committee that will spearhead the opening of the Uganda National Defence College.
The National Defence College to be established in Jinja will be a premier institute of excellence on defence, security and national development and will provide strategic leadership to government on national and international security matters.
Speaking at the launch of the committee at a function held at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mbuya on Monday, Gen. Muhoozi said this is was a good step forward in the professionalization of the Ugandan army.
"The UPDF has made many strides in training but we have been missing a flagship institution that provides professional joint military education at Strategic level,” the CDF noted.
He said that in order to manage complexity, uncertainty, changes and surprise in the contemporary security environment, there is always a need to develop institutions like the National Defence College for strategic level training.
The CDF said he was delighted that a number of UPDF senior officers have the knowledge, experience and background information having attended National Defence Colleges in other countries like Kenya, UK and China but stressed that the Ugandan army leadership has to put in place their own college that is in line with Uganda's context and environment in order to achieve desired national goals.
He asked the steering committee to concentrate derive the college's enduring themes around security, stability and prosperity.
According to the army commander, the National Defence College will help prepare civilians, military, national security professionals and future leaders to understand the broader strategic security environment and manage the complexities at a strategic level.
The Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Lt Gen Wilson Mbadi urged the steering committee to start working out the initial phase of construction and drafting of the college curriculum among others.
He asked the committee members to a bench marking trip to an already established National Defence College so as to acquaint themselves with how the college can be run.
Maj Gen Nakibus Lakara will chair the committee charged with establishing the Nationa Defence College y 2019.
The function was also attended by the Commander Land Force (CLF) Maj Gen Peter Elwelu, the Joint Chief of Staff (JCOS) Maj Gen Joseph Musanyufu, Ms Lydia Wanyoto a member of the committee and other senior UPDF officers.
UPDF’s Senior Staff and Command College, Kimaka in Jinja district recently graduated their first batch of army officers who had undergone a year’s Master’s of Arts Degree in Defence and Security.
President Museveni, who is also the commander in chief recently said Uganda Military Academy at Kabamba will soon start awarding degrees in security and defence studies.
The University of Military Science and Technology, also known as Lugazi National Defence University in Lugazi, Buikwe District currently offers degree courses.
These are part of the army leadership’s efforts to professionalize the Ugandan army according to its leaders.
Ugandan army officers currently fly to countries including Kenya, UK and China among others that have National Defence Colleges for further studies.
