By Diana N. Kintu
Kampala, Uganda
They walked through the gates of Mbuya for the last time as serving soldiers. But for the 222 UPDF officers retiring from the force, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba says the end of their military careers is not the end of their service to Uganda.
Some waved. Some wept. On the other side of the gate, the country’s top generals stood waiting to see them off.
In his address, Kainerugaba credited the outgoing officers with helping build the institutional foundation on which the UPDF stands today.
The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, presided over the official retirement ceremony for 222 UPDF officers, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and Majors—from Batch 16 at the UPDF Joint Services Headquarters in Mbuya.
“These achievements rest on the foundation laid by committed officers, such as those we honor today,” he said.
The 222 UPDF officers retiring from the force
He traced that foundation to the force’s roots in Uganda’s liberation struggle, saying the discipline and professionalism developed during that period continue to underpin the UPDF. He noted that the modern military now faces threats that extend beyond conventional warfare, including terrorism, cybercrime and climate-related disasters.
Kainerugaba said the UPDF must continue modernising, embracing innovation, strengthening joint operations and maintaining high standards of discipline, accountability and readiness.
But the central message of the ceremony was not about the army’s future. It was about what the 222 officers would do after taking off the uniform.
Kainerugaba urged the retirees to view retirement not as an end to national service, but as a new assignment, one in which their experience, discipline and leadership could continue to serve the country.
“I encourage you to see this not as the end of service, but as a new phase in your contributions to the country,” Kainerugaba said. “Uganda still needs your experience, wisdom, and leadership.”
That new assignment, he said, should take the retirees into their communities, where they can mentor young people, support local development and bring the discipline and leadership developed in military service into civilian institutions.
He also warned them to approach retirement with financial discipline, urging them to plan carefully, invest prudently and use their retirement benefits wisely.
The CDF also acknowledged the families behind the officers’ careers, noting that military service demands sacrifices that extend beyond those who wear the uniform.
“Military service demands uncommon discipline, resilience, and sacrifice… Today this honor belongs to them as well,” he said.
Speaking for the outgoing cohort, the most senior retiree, Col. Kajungu Rutiinampora, thanked UPDF leadership for the peace and stability achieved during their years of service and pledged that the retirees would remain active as ambassadors of civil-military cooperation in the communities they return to.
Then came the final moment.
When the speeches ended, Kainerugaba joined senior commanders, including Deputy CDF Lt. Gen. Sam Okiding, Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Charles Okidi and SFC Commander Maj. Gen. Asaph Mwetesie, lined up at the Mbuya exit gate to personally see the retirees off.
For 222 officers, walking through those gates marked the end of one career. What Kainerugaba is asking of them now is whether it will also mark the beginning of another, one built not around a uniform, but around the communities they are returning to.