Lt Gen Okiding Passes Out 337 Graduates At Kaweweta, Urges Ideological Clarity And Professionalism

 

The Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (D/CDF), Lt Gen Sam Okiding, has called upon security personnel to remain ideologically grounded, disciplined and committed to national service, saying ideological clarity remains the cornerstone of effective leadership and national stability.

Lt Gen Okiding made the remarks while presiding over the pass-out ceremony of the Joint Basic Cadre Development Course Intake 15/2026 and the Advanced Psychosocial Support Course Intake 2/2026 at the Oliver Reginald Tambo School of Leadership and Pan-Africanism Centre of Excellence (ORTSL-PACEX) in Kaweweta, Nakaseke District.

The Deputy CDF commended the President and Commander-in-Chief of the UPDF, H.E. Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for his visionary leadership, which has transformed the institution from a bush training area in the late 1980s into one of the country’s leading centres of ideological and leadership development.

He also conveyed greetings from the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and applauded the commandant, instructors, facilitators and support staff for maintaining high training standards despite operational and resource challenges.

Lt Gen Okiding stressed that military training is intended to prepare personnel for future responsibilities during both peace and wartime and that effective leadership must be built on patriotism and ideological consciousness.

“A soldier or commander without ideological orientation is a lost person and a potential danger to society,” he said.

“Ideological grounding enables leaders to make correct decisions and remain committed to national interests.”

Addressing graduates of the Advanced Psychosocial Support Course, Lt Gen Okiding described them as a critical addition to the security forces’ health services.

He noted that psychosocial support is increasingly important in addressing operational stress, trauma and battle fatigue experienced by personnel deployed in conflict environments.

He further urged the graduates to uphold spiritual growth, personal discipline and moral integrity, warning against corruption, drug abuse and other destructive behaviours that undermine professionalism and national service.

The Deputy CDF also praised the growing collaboration among the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service and other government agencies in ideological training, noting that such cooperation strengthens national stability and institutional cohesion.

Joint training strengthens unity among security agencies

Speaking at the event, Brig Gen Wycliffe Keita, the Joint Staff Training and Doctrine (JS-TRADOC), emphasised the significance of joint training in fostering unity among Uganda’s security agencies. He said graduates leave the institution as one cadre, united by a common mission of leadership, patriotism and service to the nation.

Brig Gen Keita highlighted the importance of psychosocial support services within the security forces, noting that a strong soldier must be physically fit, mentally resilient and socially grounded.

“Psychosocial support personnel play a critical role in detecting stress-related challenges, restoring morale and strengthening the operational readiness of our troops,” he said.

He revealed that efforts are underway to expand the pool of instructors across the UPDF through enhanced instructor-training programmes aimed at strengthening training capacity and supporting the vision of a modern, professional and ideologically grounded force.

263 cadets and 74 psychosocial officers graduate

Speaking earlier during the same pass-out, the Commandant of the Oliver Reginald Tambo School, Brig Gen Justus Rukundo, stated that all 263 students who enrolled on the Joint Basic Cadre Development Course successfully completed the programme and qualified for deployment as political commissars within the UPDF, Uganda Police Force (UPF) and Uganda Prisons Service (UPS).

He noted that the course was designed to produce ideologically grounded leaders capable of promoting patriotism, national consciousness and transformational leadership.

The Commandant also reported that all 74 participants of the Advanced Psychosocial Support Course successfully completed the training and qualified for deployment as psychosocial support officers and counsellors.

The course equipped participants with practical skills in political education, psychosocial support, psychotherapy, psychopathology and counselling.

As part of their training, students undertook a field study visit to Nyakashagazi Farm in Nakaseke District, owned by progressive farmer Frank Agumaho. The visit enabled participants to observe practical examples of socio-economic transformation, value addition and wealth creation through modern agriculture.

The Commandant commended Agumaho’s achievements in dairy farming, yoghurt production and crop cultivation, describing him as a model of innovation and self-driven development.

He urged graduates to continue pursuing knowledge and professional growth while guarding against corruption, sectarianism, overambition and other negative tendencies that undermine national development.

Graduates challenged to be agents of change

Representing the Joint Staff Political Commissariat, Maj Gen Henry Matsiko, the Director of Ideological Development, Col Kiiza Birungi, described the cadre development course as a strategic programme designed to produce ideologically conscious, politically alert and mission-oriented leaders.

“The course is designed to produce cadres who are ideologically conscious, politically alert and capable of mobilising, educating and guiding others in the fulfilment of the forces’ mission,” Col Birungi said.

He emphasised that a cadre is an agent of change entrusted with promoting patriotism, discipline, unity and socio-economic transformation.

Col Birungi challenged the graduates to apply the knowledge acquired during training to strengthen cohesion within their institutions and contribute to national development while remaining committed to integrity, selfless service and ideological clarity.

The ceremony concluded with graduates being urged to uphold the values acquired during training and serve as ambassadors of patriotism, professionalism and transformational leadership in their respective units, institutions and communities.

A total of 337 students graduated from the two courses, including 263 participants of the Joint Basic Cadre Development Course and 74 students of the Advanced Psychosocial Support Course, among them 12 female participants.

The pass-out was attended by general officers, UPDF senior and junior officers, representatives from the Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service, militants, and area local leaders, among others.