UPDF Artillery Division Conducts 20KM Route March To Boost Combat Readiness

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Artillery Division, together with attached units from the Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) and the Army Aviation Command (AAC), has conducted its second route march exercise aimed at enhancing combat readiness, physical fitness and teamwork among troops.

The 20-kilometre march was led by the Commander of the Artillery Division, Major General Daniel Kakono.

Maj Gen Kakono said the route march was designed to build endurance, improve physical fitness, strengthen teamwork and promote mental well-being among the troops.

“Physical exercise is not a formality; it is an important means of preserving life, enhancing combat readiness, and developing leadership,” he said.

Maj Gen Kakono noted that the 20-kilometre trek also served as a reminder of the National Resistance Army (NRA) liberation struggle, recalling the long foot marches undertaken by fighters during the bush war.

“The march rekindles the spirit of the NRA revolutionary struggle. It reminds us of the foot marches through Uganda’s bushes that eventually liberated the country and laid the foundation for the socio-economic transformation that Uganda enjoys today,” he added.

He urged the troops to remain vigilant and maintain high standards of discipline.

“Discipline remains the backbone of a professional force. I urge all of you to remain vigilant, focused, and committed to the values that define the UPDF,” Maj Gen Kakono said.

He also encouraged officers and soldiers to embrace a culture of saving through the Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society and invest in income-generating ventures.

The route march forms part of the UPDF’s continuous combat readiness training programme conducted across its formations to ensure troops remain physically fit, mission-ready and capable of responding to emerging security challenges.