The Chief of Joint Staff, Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba has reaffirmed the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) preparedness to address the shifting security challenges confronting Uganda and its neighbors.
Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba made this assertion on April 7, 2025 during a crucial meeting at the Defence Intelligence and Security headquarters in Mbuya while addressing a delegation of esteemed officers from the Senior Command and Staff College Kinanira of Burundi, who are currently on a study tour in Uganda.
“UPDF has undergone a significant transformation into a highly professional and capable military force, equipped to handle the increasingly complex security challenges both within Uganda and across the region,”Maj Gen Bakasumba Asserted.
He underscored UPDF’s enhanced operational readiness, stating with confidence,”We have the built capacity and can undertake any assigned task militarily to the required end state, the strategic development of the UPDF’s training infrastructure, which now encompasses a comprehensive system from the initial recruitment stages all the way to the prestigious National Defence College.”
The Chief of Joint Staff also reflected on Uganda’s pioneering role in fostering regional stability.
He proudly recalled the UPDF’s historic deployment to Somalia in March 2007 under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), making Uganda the first African nation to contribute troops to the mission.
“Burundi subsequently joined the effort,we have a very strong collaborative spirit between our two nations.We have a very cordial working relationship,” Maj Gen Bakasumba affirmed.
He Highlighted Uganda’s commitment to African-led solutions for African problems, stating , “Although we don’t share a border with Somalia, we went there to contribute to African solutions for African problems.”
The delegation from Burundi was led by Colonel Jonas Sabushimike, the Chief Instructor at the Senior Command and Staff College Kinanira.
Col Sabushimike in his address explained that the study tour, a key component of the academic program for Course 08/09 – 24/25, is strategically designed to enhance regional cooperation and cultivate sustainable peace and security within the East African community.
Speaking on the rationale behind choosing Uganda for this significant tour, Col Sabushimike lauded the country’s strong commitment to regional cooperation and its exemplary role in socio-economic development.
He further praised Uganda’s pivotal contributions to regional security and its overall transformative impact on the region.
Representing the student body, Lt Col Balaam Ainomugisha expressed profound appreciation for the insightful presentations received.
“These insights have deepened our understanding of Uganda’s active role in foreign missions and its strategic importance in regional integration,” he remarked,
The meeting was attended by a host of high-ranking UPDF officers, including the Joint Staff Logistics, Brig Gen Godwin Karugaba; Joint Staff Finance, Brig Gen Robert Mugabe; the Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Brig Gen Abdul Rugumayo; Deputy Joint Staff Human Resource Management, Brig Gen Chris Bagonza; Commandant Oliver Reginald Tambo School of Leadership and Pan-African Centre of Excellence, Brig Gen Justus Rukundo; and Uganda’s Defence Attaché to Burundi, Brig Gen Simon Ocan, among other senior military officials.
