UPDF officers decry cultural invasion, join battle against LGBTQ

Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Senior officers of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces have decried what they termed a cultural invasion by the West, which imposes a threat to the values that Ugandans hold so dear.

The two officers, Brigadier General Christopher Kasaija, the Commandant of the UPDF Air-force wing and the Deputy Commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC), Brigadier General Charity Bainababo observed that although political and military colonialism receded decades ago, a new form of colonialism through cultural impositions was knocking on the door.

They were addressing a gathering of civilians, as well as men and women of the UPDF Air force at the  Mayor’s Gardens in Entebbe on Monday. This was part of the celebrations of Tarehe Sita, a day marked in recognition of the attack on Kabamba barracks in 1981 when NRA fighters started a guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power.

After narrating the antecedents of the UPDF and calling on colleagues and the general public to acknowledge the sacrifice of the founders, the officers called on Ugandans to acknowledge the country’s history to ensure that it does not go back into turmoil.

“As service men and women we shall stand with you on this. We shall not allow that. We have our culture,” Bainabaabo said, adding that Uganda was a sovereign state which knew what she wanted.

The message was buttressed by the Entebbe Municipality Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Jacqueline Kankunda who was the Guest of Honour. Commenting on earlier speeches by the Entebbe Municipality mayor Fabrice Luyinda and Entebbe Municipality Division-A chairperson Scolastica Baguma, Kankunda said the issue of homosexuality could not be ignored.

“Please if you are an agent of those people… save us because we shall expose you,” she warned. Earlier on, Baguma had called on leaders and the public to work together to save children by sensitizing them against the dangers of homosexuality.

Luyinda, who was recently attacked after the municipality together with the Lions Club of Entebbe painted the Entebbe Children’s Park in ‘rainbow’ colours deemed to be a symbol of the LGBTQ movement, distanced himself from supporting the LGBTQ+ movement. The mayor later directed the rainbow paintings to be removed, replacing them with those of the national flag. RDC Natukunda said these colours had a lot behind them that could not be ignored.

She said some of the promoters of homosexuality had been reported to be conniving with some school owners but once established, the government would close their schools.

The comments come at a time when many leaders and parents are complaining about the LGBTQ movement infiltrating schools and sinking huge sums of money in agents and collaborators. Religious schools have not been spared from accusation and leaders are putting a keen eye on the schools’ managers.

On the day’s theme, RDC Jacqueline Kankunda said that the UPDF as a disciplined force had been exemplary as its founding father, President Yoweri Museveni. She said that however, the ruling party he led, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) had some individuals tarnishing its image with corruption.

“I pray that you (the army) do not involve yourself in corruption. You know civilians are leading in corruption scandals.”

Brig Gen Kasaija and Brig Gen  Bainabaabo said that what distinguished the UPDF from its predecessors was that it was a people-centred army, the reason soldiers always make outreaches in the community. Bainabaabo said President Yoweri Museveni had given the UPDF and the country an ideological orientation in politics and development.

Pointing to the RDC, the mayor of Entebbe Municipality Division A, and herself, said women could now occupy positions of leadership. She said the country was on the path to industrialization.

“There’s no reason whatsoever for anybody not to participate in the social transformation when the UPDF has provided the enabling environment of peace and stability,” she said.

Brig Gen Kaija said the UPDF’s duty was to provide an enabling environment for other sectors of the country to flourish. Mayor Luyinda said the UPDF through its business subsidiary, the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) had done fundamentally well with government civil works and if it was in his powers and not minding the private sector, he would contract all municipal civil works to NEC because they delivered on time and quality.

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