Maj General Khalid Ismael Taha, recently led an Egyptian delegation that visited Uganda, underscoring the strong bilateral ties between the two African nations.
The delegation received a comprehensive briefing from Lt General Jack Sam Bakasumba, Chief of Joint Staff, on Uganda’s military history and its evolution since independence on October 9, 1962.
Lt General Bakasumba took the delegation through Uganda’s post-independence history, highlighting key milestones, including the overthrow of the first president, Dr. Milton Obote, by Idi Amin Dada in 1971, and the subsequent renaming of the Uganda Army to the Uganda Liberation Army in 1979 following Amin’s ouster.
He also touched on the 1981 elections, which sparked a guerrilla war leading to the rise of His Excellency General (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and the renaming of the army to the National Resistance Army (NRA), later changed to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) in 1995.
The briefing emphasized Uganda’s commitment to Pan-Africanism, evident in its participation in regional peacekeeping missions, including in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Uganda’s robust training programs for its soldiers, from basic training to the National Defence College (NDC), were also highlighted.
Maj General Khalid Ismael Taha expressed gratitude for Uganda’s hospitality and commitment to maintaining strong ties with African countries. He noted that the visit aimed to strengthen bilateral relations, economic cooperation, scientific exchange, and security collaboration between Uganda, Egypt, and other African nations.
The Egyptian delegation’s visit underscores the historical ties between Uganda and Egypt and highlights their shared commitment to African unity and peace.
