“They sacrificed by accepting to serve without pay in early days” - Museveni on retired UPDF generals
President Museveni has saluted the retired Uganda People’s Defence Forces generals for accepting to serve their country without pay or little pay in the earlier days after the 1986 bush war.
A total of 19 generals who recently cleared for retirement from active service of the army were on Monday afternoon awarded certificates at a function presided over by Museveni at State House in Entebbe.
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Speaking at the function, the president described the retirees as part of the Mustard Seed story that he wrote about that did a great job liberating the country.
“It was good that they suppressed some of their interests to work for no or low pay to defend the country. While in the bush, there was no pay and when we had just captured power, the pay was so low but they accepted to provide their services,” Museveni said.
The president explained that during the bush war and immediately after it, the country had little or no money that many people didn’t want to serve in the army yet there was need for provision of security.
“If your country is still poor or disorganised, who do you ask to provide security when everyone does not want? We were, however, able to provide security for businesses to grow and civilians become rich. Later, those of us who sacrificed started benefitting slowly by slowly.”
Brig.John Mary Kaganda with his family pose for a photo with President Museveni at Entebbe.
“We hope the country will remember us for helping so many people,” Museveni noted.
The president, however, asked the army leadership to record individual success stories from all the retired soldiers who fought in the bush war that he said will help teach lessons to others.
He also urged the retired generals to help spread the gospel of wealth creation wherever they go.
The Chief of Defence Forces in the UPDF, Gen David Muhoozi said the retirement of 19 generals is a story of the army’s renaissance.
“In the past armies and governments, retirement was because of death, exile, imprisonment, desertion or rebellion but we have changed it for better and slowly by slowly we are standardizing the process,” Gen.Muhoozi said.
The CDF said such a colorful send-off of the generals is a gesture deserving of their sacrifice and contribution to peace and stability of the country.
Retired
The UPDF generals who retired on Monday included Gen. Joram Mugume, Maj. Gen. Nathan Mugisha, Maj. Gen. Sam Turyagyenda, Maj. Gen.Jimmy Wills Byarugaba, Maj. Gen. Timothy Sabiiti Mutebile, Brig.Ramadan Kyamulesire, and Brig. Charles Angulo Wacha.
Others are Brig. Sam Kakuru, Brig. Matthias Ssewankambo, Brig. Gyagenda Kibirango, Brig.David Kaboyo, Brig.Tom Tumuhairwe, Brig. Emmanuel Musinguzi, Brig.John Mugogo Tumwebaze, Brig.John Mulindwa, Brig.Kenneth Ocen Obwot, Brig. Adolf Sserwadda, Brig.Francis Achoka Ongom, Brig.Charles Anywa and Brig.John Mary Kaganda.
The number brought to 30 of UPDF generals who have retired from the army’s active service in the past year.
Retirement process
The UPDF Conditions and Terms of Service provide that it’s illegal to keep army officers in active service once they clock a certain age but are not promoted to the next rank.
For example, it’s illegal to have an officer at the rank of captain or major, aged 50, in active service.
At the age of 40, if a captain is not promoted to major, the army must retire the officer.
Regulation 28, Cap 307 of the terms of service specifies at which age an officer should be promoted to another rank if not be retired from the service but according to army sources, the UPDF continues to flout section of its own regulations.
