KAWEWETA, Uganda — Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has declared that the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) will not allow foreign interests to undermine Uganda’s sovereignty, accusing unnamed individuals of working against the country’s independence and development.
Speaking during the pass-out ceremony of more than 10,000 UPDF recruits at the Kaweweta Basic Military Training School on Thursday, Gen. Muhoozi said the military remained alert to what he described as efforts by “foreign agents” and their local collaborators to destabilise the country.
The ceremony was presided over by President Yoweri Museveni, who inspected the parade before the recruits formally completed their basic military training and joined the armed forces.
UPDF vows to defend national sovereignty
Addressing the newly graduated recruits, military officers and invited guests, Gen. Muhoozi said Uganda remained peaceful and stable but warned that threats to national security had not disappeared.
“I wish to reassure and inform the country that Uganda is peaceful, secure, and thriving; however, what is also true is that we have to deal with the fifth column of neocolonialist sympathizers and agents of foreign interests who are intent on sabotaging our national independence and development,” he said.
The term “fifth column” is commonly used to describe individuals accused of working internally to advance the interests of external actors.
Gen. Muhoozi did not identify any specific individuals, organisations or countries he believed were responsible.
Warning against external influence
The UPDF commander said security agencies were closely monitoring what he described as attempts to interfere with Uganda’s affairs and insisted the military would continue protecting national interests.
“We are very aware of the insidious machinations of negative elements against our country, but the good news is that we will not permit their shenanigans,” he said.
He further argued that Uganda’s future should be determined by its citizens rather than outside actors.
“We can’t and shall not tolerate agents of foreign interests who secretly work to undermine the country’s progress. We will never allow agents of foreign interest to demoralize and demobilize the patriotic and nationalistic spirit of Ugandans,” Muhoozi added.
His remarks are likely to draw attention because they come amid ongoing debates over governance, civil liberties, political dissent and Uganda’s relations with international partners.
Military expansion and recruitment
The pass-out ceremony marked one of the largest recruit graduations in recent years, reflecting the UPDF’s continued investment in manpower and force development.
The Kaweweta Basic Military Training School is one of Uganda’s principal military training institutions and has produced thousands of recruits who have gone on to serve in national defence, regional peacekeeping operations and counter-terrorism missions.
The UPDF remains actively involved in security operations within Uganda and abroad, including missions under the African Union and regional security arrangements.
Security and economic transformation
Gen. Muhoozi linked national security to Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions, arguing that peace and stability remain essential for investment and development.
He expressed confidence that Uganda’s current leadership could achieve the government’s ambitious economic targets.
“With the new group of leaders in Cabinet and Parliament, we are quite optimistic that Uganda is firmly on track to achieve its target of a US$500 billion economy by 2040. As the UPDF, we will do our part to achieve this goal,” he said.
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Uganda’s Vision 2040 development framework aims to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy through investments in infrastructure, industrialisation, agriculture, energy and human capital development.
Government officials have repeatedly argued that maintaining internal stability is critical to achieving those objectives.
Remarks come amid heightened political debate
Gen. Muhoozi’s comments come months after Uganda’s 2026 General Election and at a time when opposition groups continue to raise concerns about political freedoms, arrests of government critics and the role of security agencies in political affairs.
Human rights organisations have frequently called on Ugandan authorities to safeguard civil liberties and ensure that security measures do not undermine constitutional rights.
Government officials, however, maintain that security agencies must remain vigilant against threats to national stability, terrorism and foreign interference.
The latest remarks suggest the military leadership intends to continue playing a prominent role in what it sees as the defence of Uganda’s sovereignty and development agenda.
