While officiating as Chief Guest at the launch of the 42nd National Tarehe Sita Anniversary and Defense Forces Week celebrations, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, commended UPDF leadership and the force at large for being a pro-people and professional army.
“You have won the confidence of our people, and please do all you can to maintain it.We have many questions about other institutions of government but not the UPDF. For every failed project, the people are now demanding that we assign it to UPDF,” Tayebwa said.
The event was held on Friday, January 27th, 2023, at the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs and UPDF Headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala.
Tayebwa further praised the UPDF for exhibiting the spirit of pan-Africanism by engaging in different peacekeeping operations within the Great Lakes region and other parts of the African continent.
This year’s Tarehe Sita and Defense Forces Week celebrations will be conducted within the districts of the Greater Mbarara sub-region under the theme “Recognizing the sacrifice of the founders of the people’s revolution for social and economic transformation.”
The Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, revealed that the UPDF uses a pro-people approach and civil-military cooperation to foster harmony between the civilian population and the Army.
During the Tarehe Sita and Defense Forces Week celebrations, the UPDF conducts different community outreach programs, such as medical camps, engineering works, sanitation, sensitising the population about the mandate of the force, and others.
The event was attended by different dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Defense, Jacob Oboth Oboth, members of parliament and representatives of various sister security agencies.
