The UPDF has encouraged its retiring Generals to view retirement not as the end of their relevance, but as the beginning of a new chapter.
Major General James Kinalwa who represented the Chief of Joint Staff, said retirement is a new phase of life that every soldier should have prepared for.
He made the remarks during a documentation exercise for 20 General Officers at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya, part of the retirement process scheduled for the coming month..According to him, retirement should not be seen as the end of active military service, but as the start of a new phase of continued service to society.“Retirement isn’t the end of your usefulness or relevance. It’s a transition into another vital phase, where you keep serving your families, communities, and the nation.
Keep lending your expertise through advisory, diplomatic, academic, and mentorship roles whenever you’re called on,” Kinalwa said.
“As you transition into civilian life, remain ambassadors of the UPDF and uphold the values of discipline, professionalism, and service. The wealth of experience, discipline, strategic thinking, and integrity accumulated by the retiring officers remains a valuable national asset. So don’t sleep.” Kinawa stated.
Kinawa added that the officers served with courage, resilience, and patriotism, often in demanding conditions, helping shape the force’s doctrine, policy, and leadership.“Many of you led troops in challenging operations, mentored younger officers, strengthened civil-military ties, and contributed to regional and international peace and security,” he said.
The officers are part of Batch 16 of the UPDF retirement programme and include one General, two Lieutenant Generals, four Major Generals, and thirteen Brigadier Generals.In total, at least 531 officers will retire this year, among them some of the force’s most prominent generals.
The retirees include General Katumba Wamala former Chief of Defence Forces, along with Lt. Gen. Charles Awany Otema, Lt. Gen. Charles Angina, Maj. Gen. Godfrey Katsigazi Tumusiime, Maj. Gen. Henry Ndarubweine Masiko, Maj. Gen. Apolo Kasiita Gowa, Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, and Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho, among others.
UPDF Spokesperson Col. Chris Magezi announced Friday that the force will recruit over 10,000 Ugandans to address staffing needs. The UPDF will also communicate the official retirement date and publish the names of all retiring Generals and officers in due course. URN