Patriotism, Selflessness and Courage are Rare Traits that Gen Kainerugaba Embodies
By Matthew Ikondere
In service, as John Keegan rightly put it, “Soldiers when committed to a task, can’t compromise. It’s unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting the task go until it’s been done.”
These are words I tag to Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has personified courage, patriotism, and bravery in a military career spanning a period of over 20 years.
He formally enlisted in military service in 1999 and underwent several military training courses that include: Officer Cadet Course at the Royal Military Academy, Sand Hurst, UK, Company Commanders Course and Battalion Commander Course at the Egyptian Military Academy, a course in Airborne Operations, Tank Commanders course at Kalama Armored Warfare school, Counterterrorism course, United States Army Command and General Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Executive National Security Program in the Republic of South Africa, among others.
Over the years, Gen. Kainerugaba has held several Command and Staff appointments, and these include Commander Special Forces Command, Commanding Officer 2 Tank Battalion-Presidential Guard Brigade(PGB), Commanding Officer Motorized Infantry Battalion-PGB and Head of Combat Readiness-Presidential Protection Unit.
Currently, he serves as the Senior Presidential Adviser for Special Operations, where he advises the Commander in Chief, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on enhancing capabilities of Uganda’s Special Operations Forces, both in the military and police, and the wider framework of National Security.
He has and continues to perform exceptionally, with distinction.
Gen. Kainerugaba could have chosen to take a different path, after completion of his university education, but he took the bold decision to join the Armed forces, to protect and serve our great nation and her citizens, fighting different insurgencies internally and across the border, for example, the LRA insurgency in Northern Uganda, “Operation Lightening Thunder”, Al-Shabaab in Somalia as well as other covert and overt military operations.
He has lived up to this and continues to do so.
He has been an inspirational figure to young cadres and soldiers who look up to him.
And indeed, he serves Uganda with privilege, honor, discipline, self-respect, pride in his unit and his country, and will never shy away from taking on Uganda and Africa’s enemies.
He has exhibited excellent leadership skills and given soldiers under his command a platform to develop and improve their careers.
Gen. Kainerugaba played a pivotal role in the formation of the elite Special Forces Command, a specialized component of the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces tasked with carrying out special missions in support of national military objectives, in close coordination with the Land Forces, Air Force and Reserve forces of Uganda.
Under his leadership, SFC took on a number of infrastructural developments for the soldiers, such as housing and training facilities, and he laid the foundation for the establishment and construction of the new SFC Headquarters that was recently completed and commissioned by the Commander in Chief.
He is the face of a professional Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF), and his qualities have extended to the population and non-militants, the people “wanainchi”, of Uganda, through strong Civil-military relations by offering support to a number of youth initiatives, schools and religious institutions.
With such a track record, it would be absurd and unfortunate for some delusional elements in society to abuse and discredit, a great man like Gen. Kainerugaba, with all that he has achieved.
I’m tempted to be ‘petty’ and say these wrong elements are probably jealous of all that he has achieved in life, and wish to be like him, but are not even half the person that the General is.
I wonder what gives them the audacity to ‘spew’ misinformation about a man so many Ugandans look up to and support.
Uganda is blessed to have soldiers and leaders like Gen. Kainerugaba, and he is the true seed of continuity of a legacy that an abundance of Ugandans will work hard to protect. May God protect our mighty Armed Forces and country.
Aluta Continua
The author is a Staff Officer at the Office of the Senior Presidential Adviser for Special Operations.
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