Museveni reveals why he pushed Muhoozi to join the army

President Yoweri Museveni has shed light on why he got his firstborn son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to join the UPDF.

Museveni revealed on Tuesday that he encouraged his son immediately after completing his A’ Level education to start military training along with some of his schoolmates.

He said he deliberately set out to recruit young soldiers fresh from school to plug what he termed as an “intellectual gap” in the UPDF.

This gap had been created by the death of many educated and highly experienced commanders from the bush war.

Several of these had succumbed to HIV and other “non-combat” causes according to the President.

Sensing danger

Shortly after taking power, Museveni said he realised an emerging danger.

Although the NRA rebel group had some university-educated soldiers such as the late Gen Aronda Nyakairima; these mostly took on non-combat roles especially in intelligence during the war.

After taking power, and as many of the bush war combat commanders died, Museveni elevated the graduate team to take up command positions even though they had no combat experience.

“They filled the gaps left by the diseased commanders and gave us time for the younger offers whom we deliberately recruited in the 1990s to rebuild the officer core of the defence forces,” Museveni explained on Tuesday.

Gen Muhoozi, who now serves as the Chief of Defense Forces came under this group.

Museveni revealed that he was severely attacked in the media at the time for creating the elite group that came to be known as the SFC.

“I was accused of creating a secret army…but I created this force because I could see the danger,” he explained.

“When Muhoozi finished A level, I told him to go get his school friends to go to Kasenyi and train as LDUs. I wanted them to pick interest and come and help us.”

“The new officers had opportunities to develop organically because now we had power and money and links to train them better. Previously we were just patching and jumping on training opportunities in foreign countries like Mozambique. Now the new ones could train in proper facilities in the country and abroad.”

Museveni made these remarks at the inaugural Kampala Defence and Security Expo held at the Speake Resort in Munyonyo.

The event was also used to commemorate the late former Chief of Defense Forces, the late Gen Aronda Nyakairima who passed away in September 2015.

Gen Museveni described the late Aronda as an outstanding soldier who excelled in ideology, discipline and skills.

He also commended him for starting the army’s Wazalendo Sacco which is now the biggest saving scheme in the country.