Within the NRM manifesto, the defence sector identified five (5) key commitments to guide all policies and plans for the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs in the five years (2016-2021). Thereafter, the President further gave strategic directives to the defence sector, clearly spelling out specific interventions in achieving the set-out plans.
In 2016, the ruling Government, through the National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto (2016-2021), stated its aspirations in transforming the Ugandan society from a low-income society to a competitive middle-income country.
Within the NRM manifesto, the defence sector identified five (5) key commitments to guide all policies and plans for the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs in the five years (2016-2021). Thereafter, the President further gave strategic directives to the defence sector, clearly spelling out specific interventions in achieving the set-out plans.
AIM
To highlight the implementation of the manifesto commitments and strategic guidelines for the defence sector.
NRM Manifesto commitments to the Defence Sector;
- Continued professionalisation and modernisation of defence and security forces.
- Developing defence and security infrastructure
- Strengthening research and development
- Promoting production for wealth creation and selfsustainability
- Strengthening internal and external security
MANIFESTO COMMMITTMENT
Continuing with professionalisation and modernisation of the defence and security forces; acquisition and maintenance of equipment
ACHIEVEMENTS
- The defence sector enhanced UPDF capability and capacity through acquisition and maintenance of weapon systems and equipment in order to enhance fire-power, force protection, mobility and sustainability. The acquired equipment is in sync with the technological advancements to address the current and future threats.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE
- Classified expenditure should remain a priority because it is spent on items that are crucial or UPDF and the national secruity
ACHIEVEMENT
- The classified budget has been enhanced to meet the capability equirements. Capabilities have been generated and consolidated to sustain Uganda’s capacity to address the current and future threats in a bid to sustain the peace and security
COMMITTMENT
HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
- Recruitment
ACHIEVEMENT:
-Human resource is key inbuilding and strengthening an effective defence and security
sector. Targeted recruitmentwas done to enhance requisite skills
-Since 2016, the ministry hasrecruited an average of 4,000 troops annually, to replenish the UPDF manpower levels affectedby retirement and attrition, as aresult of operations both in and outside Uganda.
-In addition to the recruits,the ministry has recruited more than 26,000 LDUs to compliment the regular force in sustaining peace and stability in the country.
COMMITTMENT
- Training
ACHIEVEMENT
- This has been gearedtowards professionalisingand modernising the army, inaddition to making the UPDFthrive at the national, regionaland global stage.
- Continuous training of UPDF soldiers for both combat and operations other than warwas undertaken to ensure the individual soldier can play his/her part as a professional within a team in a modernised force. Trainings were undertaken both locally and internationally, inorder to have an efficient force that can tackle the threats of the defence of Uganda, and deployments to enhance regional and international peace, security and stability. The reserve force as a key component supporting the main UPDF was strengthened through training sessions.
- The ministry also embarked on the establishment of the National Defence College- Uganda (NDC). The curriculum was produced; the site in Jinja was identified with the facilities therein.
COMMITTMENT
Salary and wages
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE:
- Pay well scientists like engineers, pilots and doctors, in order to retain them in UPDF and other establishments.
- Gradually and affordably increase the salaries of soldiers, until they come in line with salaries of teachers and medical personnel.
ACHIEVEMENT
- The ministry has continued to ensure that general welfare of the UPDF soldiers and their families is sustained and improved.
- Salaries for soldiers have been gradually increasing. In FY 2018/19, partial salary enhancement for lower ranks was done, where a private’s salary was enhanced from sh385,000 to sh485,000. However, this needs to be enhanced to sh537,837 equitable to a grade III primary school teacher. The enhancement will also be required across the board from lower rank to general.
- In regard to payment of scientists, the ministry has achieved in paying all medical personnel. However, due to inadequate funding, other categories of scientists are yet to be addressed.
HEALTHCARE SERVICES COMMITTMENT:
- Provide health care to the military.
ACHIEVEMENT
- MoDVA provided preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to officers, militants, their immediate families and the surrounding communities in its 139 health centres (five hospitals, eight health centres IV, 36 health centres III and 90 Medical Reception Stations (MRS). For complex medical cases, the ministry partnered with health facilities within and outside the country.
- The ministry also supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) in containing any form of epidemic (Ebola and COVID-19) outbreaks within the country and region. Most recently, UPDF medical personnel offered medical services during the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
ACHIEVEMENT
- Construction works of a 250- bed military referral hospital at lower Mbuya is ongoing. The OPD, theatre, maternity wards, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), emergency, radiology, surgical wards, administratooon block, VIP and VVIP wards areunder construction. Currently, the general progress is at 54%.
- The MRH will include heart and cancer treatment units. Architectural designs have been developed.
OTHER HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED ACHIEVEMENTS
- The ministry has over the years renovated and constructed a number of health facilities, some of which include construction of health centres III in different areas, constructed X-ray bunkers for 02 and 04 Divs, renovated CMRC buildings, constructed the dental unit and OPD at lower Mbuya, constructed the intensive care unit at Land Forces — Bombo.
MANIFESTO COMMITTMENT
- Developing defence and security infrastructure.
ACHIEVEMENT:
- In a bid to improve welfare of the troops and their families,
the sector continued to renovate and rehabilitate infrastructure facilities in the areas of housing, accommodation, health and sanitation and training schools. This helped improve the living conditions of soldiers and their families. Consequently, the morale of soldiers to serve has been enhanced over time.
- MoDVA has also presented a requirement of 3.7 trillion to government to fund the project for the UPDF barracks infrastructure project of 30,000. All the project stages
(project concept, profile, prefeasibility and feasibility) were developed and submitted to MoFPED for financing.
MANIFESTO COMMITTMENT / PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE
- The NRM Government will continue with the construction of barracks to provide a conducive and habitable living environment for the personnel, as part of the welfare improvement programme in the UPDF and UPF.
-Provision of housing accommodation.
ACHIEVEMENT
- Renovated accommodation houses at 02 Div HQs, Muhooti barracks, staff quarters at 03 Div, Air Force accommodation flats at Nakasongola and Gulu barracks and housing blocks at SFC Nsamizi in Entebbe, among others.
- Constructed SFC accommodation blocks Lunyo barracks and Service Bde. Other infrastructure included Marine Pier.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE
- Moving the Air Force from Entebbe to Nakasongola.
ACHIEVEMENT
- UPDF Air Force was allocated funds to shift some air assets to Nakasongola. These catered for construction of hangar, ATC tower, taxiway, accommodation, Runaway lighting, fire station and fencing, among others. Some works are complete and others are on-going. Other works included finished works on workshop at UAFC and construction of armoury at NAFW.
MANIFESTO COMMITTMENT
- Strengthening research and development.
- In order to keep pace with global trends in science, technology and innovation, the Defence Research, Science and Technology Centre (DRSTC) at Lugazi and the Avionics Research Centre at Nakasongola will be developed into centres of excellence for collaborative research with the private sector, universities and other agencies.
ACHIEVEMENT
- MoDVA has continued to strengthen R&D in order to enhance technical and industrial development capacities locally. MoDVA has enhanced capacity in defence industries at Luwero Industries Limited (LIL) to boost its R&D capacity.
MANIFESTO COMMITTMENT
- Promoting production for wealth creation and selfsustainability.
- Defence and security will fully operationalise its mandate of contributing to national development.
- The force will also, more effectively, engage in primary, secondary and industrial production, initially for internal consumption within the sector and later for commercial purposes. This model of managing the forces will enhance professionalism within the forces and reduce the burden on the national budget.
ACHIEVEMENT
- In the period under review, MoDVA continued to invest in areas of production through supporting National Enterprises Cooperation (NEC). NEC has in the recent years expanded and set up subsidiaries, including NEC Katonga Farm, NEC Tractors, Luwero Industries, NEC Construction Works and Engineering Ltd, NEC Hire Tractor Scheme and NEC Uzima.
MANIFESTO COMMITTMENT
- Promoting production for wealth creation and selfsustainability.
ACHIEVEMENT
- There has been gradual increase in the capitalisation of LIL to boost its production capacity for UPDF supplies. Funding is based on a strategic plan with annualised financial requirements approved by the board.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRCTIVE
- Luwero industries should be given funds to buy the equipment needed to enable production of some of the supplies for UPDF.
ACHIEVEMENT
- In FY 2016/17, sh2b was allocated to Luwero industries. This has gradually been increased to sh10b in FY 2019/20.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE
- Funding Uganda Air Cargo Co. Ltd (UACC). This should be taken as a strategic item. We are discussing the revival of Uganda Airlines; we also need an air cargo that will help our horticulture exporters to transport their goods to various destinations. MoFPED should address the matter.
ACHIEVEMENT
- The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs has strengthened management structures in UACC and has continued to engage government and MoFPED to finance the Uganda Air Cargo.
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE
- Organise veterans to benefit from Operation Wealth Creatio and to engage in income-generatting activities as givernment considers payment of the sh536b pension and gratuity arrears.
ACHIEVEMENT
- Since FY 2016/17, all UPDF personnel who retire, are paid their retirement package and monthly pension promptly.
- The ministry has a backlog of pension and gratuity files for personnel who retired before FY 2015/16. A verification exercise across the country was completed. The exercise assessed and cleared 25,033 files for payment. The 25,033 files require sh188,452,842,528 and of this, sh8b has been paid so far. In FY 20/21, sh90b has been allocated to the ministry to reduce on the backlog.
- Undertook district mobilisation of veterans across the country,
including Arua, Yumbe, Nebbi, Mbale, Kalangala, Bukomasimbi, Isingiro, Kabale, Rukiga Ntungamo, Nakaseke, Kakumiro, Busia, Bugiri, Luwero, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Tororo, Kibaale and Kiboga.
- Supported initiation of incomegenerating projects, including apiary in Elgon (500 beehives) and Kabarole (200 beehives); fish farming in Pallisa and 21 green projects.
OTHER AREAS
- Establishment of the National Service — the ministry undertook benchmarking exercises in Kenya and Tanzania to assess the role of the military in managing the National Service Programme. A report on the same was developedand presented to the ministry’s strategic leadership. A cabinet memo was also developed and submitted, specifying different roles of MDAs in the implementation of the scheme for further guidance.
WAY FORWARD
- The defence sector has continued to deliver on the NRM manifesto commitments and presidential directives as highlighted in the presentation. 90% of the commitments have been achieved over the period five years.
- The defence sector is committed to continue pursuing the unfulfilled manifesto pledges in the FY 2020/21. The sector will continue to uphold its constitutional mandate of defending and protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Uganda, the people and their property.
