KYANKWANZI. The Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has urged members of the armed forces to internalize the UPDF ideology of African Nationalism, noting that it’s through ideology that they will be able to have operational stability.
Gen Kainerugaba, who delivered a lecture with a theme ‘the importance of ideology in the armed forces’ to intermediate officers at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi -- said that every military force has always had an ideology that forms their approach to the world.
Emphasizing the correct UPDF ideology of African Nationalism, Gen Kainerugaba told the officers who are attending an Advanced Joint Senior Political Education and Leadership Development course that ideology is like spectacles through which an institution views the world.
To drive his point home, the army chief equated ideology to an anchor or ballast that provides stability to a ship when stationary or in motion.
“If you know your ideology you will have stability, nobody can come to destabilize you,” he said.
He explained that while the ballast provides stability to a ship in motion, an anchor does the same to a stationary ship or boat.
Therefore, he noted that as it would be with someone without ideological clarity, the wind would just come and sweep the boat or ship without the anchor.
"So, our ideology provides stability and is at the core of our faith, that is why we can achieve great things," Gen Kainerugaba said, adding that “an ideology-free person will not understand what is going on in the world, will not be stable and will certainly have no faith."
According to the General, such faith enabled the 27 NRA soldiers that kickstarted a people's struggle that defeated 40,000 soldiers.
"They had an ideology that kept them focused and enabled them to know that with correct tactics they can overcome a large force," he said.
He urged the officers to hold on to their truth, which is the bedrock of the UPDF ideology.
"Your ideology is your truth and it is very important for intermediate officers who are going to be in command to hold on to our ideology as UPDF," Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba noted.
Citing the People’s Army of Vietnam, he said that with a strong and correct ideology, one can overcome even a superpower like the US.
The officers drawn from the UPDF, Police and Prisons were taken through a detailed package regarding the recognized ideologies of the world.
“This means that the interests of the African people must take precedence over the interests of foreigners or outsiders,” Gen Kainerugaba said.
While the main tenets of the UPDF ideology include being pro-people, pan-Africanism, socio-economic transformation, the presidential advisor said, African Nationalism is the core of the UPDF ideology.
He urged the officers to militarily practice fellowshipping as a way of reminding themselves about their ideology.
“You know Christians go to church every Sunday to fellowship because they want to remind themselves that they are following a particular way of life. So, you too should practice fellowshipping the military style,” Gen Kainerugaba explained.
The General, who decorated his lecture with examples from his career, said that he used to participate in Barazas.
“When I was in command, I would have very regular Barazas. For us Baraza is our Church where we pass on this information,” he noted.