President Yoweri Museveni has pledged 50 billion Ugandan shillings to expand and modernise the National Defence College-Uganda, while renewing his call for the political and economic integration of the region to secure its long-term defense.
Mr Museveni made the financial pledge during a graduation ceremony of 21 senior military and public officials at the college in Njeru, Buikwe District.
The Ugandan leader argued that financial investment in defense infrastructure must go hand in hand with political unity, stating that the East African Federation is vital for regional strategic security because fragmented states cannot adequately defend themselves in the modern environment.
Because of political fragmentation, landlocked Uganda does not have an ocean, Mr Museveni said, noting that neighbours Kenya and Tanzania have access to the sea. He explained that Uganda currently lacks a navy or the resources to go into space and develop a capable air force on its own, making continental integration essential.
If the region achieves the East African Federation, no one can defeat it because it will have access to the sea, develop a navy, strengthen its air force, and build a bigger economy, the president said. He cited the United States, China, Russia, and India as examples of nations that have successfully invested in large-scale strategic and space capabilities.
Beyond regional integration, Mr Museveni outlined a broader approach to securing Uganda, which includes driving socio-economic transformation to eliminate poverty.
He noted that recent data showed 67 percent of the population had joined the commercial economy, while 33 percent still worked only for subsistence. He urged the graduates to champion policies that move the remaining population into active sectors like commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and digital technology, alongside investments in universal education.
The Minister of State for Defence, Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, praised the 50 billion shilling pledge and thanked the president for ongoing infrastructure development, housing improvements, and salary enhancements for personnel.
The commandant of the college, Brigadier General Alex Olupot, said the funding would enhance the four-year-old institution’s mission to prepare senior military officers and public servants for complex national and regional security challenges.
The graduating class consisted of 20 senior military officers and one civilian official from the ministry of defence, who completed advanced strategic studies and international field tours in Nigeria and Algeria.
