UPDF commander campaigns for NRM
The commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Engineering Brigade, Brig Gen Cyrus Bekunda Besigye, addresses a gathering on Sunday at Kagyeyo Village Nyakishenyi Sub-county in Rukungiri District. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA.
What you need to know:
- Brig Bekunda however says he joined the NRM party door-to-door voter mobilisation to preach peace to the residents.
The commander of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade, Brig Cyrus Bekunda Besigye, was on Sunday campaigning for one of the presidential candidates in the 2021 elections.
He said he is sure the National Resistance Movement candidate Yoweri Museveni will win the January 14 election and whoever attempts to cause violence will be dealt with by the army.
“Those issuing threats of violence during and after elections are wasting time. The UPDF together with other security institutions shall ensure security of everybody during this period. I am sure that President Museveni shall win the forthcoming presidential elections ...,” Brig Bekunda said while addressing the NRM party supporters at Kagyeyo Village in Nyakishenyi Sub-county, Rukungiri District.
He said he joined the NRM door-to-door voter mobilisation campaign in the area to preach peace to the residents.
“You have heard some presidential candidates saying they will use violent means like it happened in Libya to change the leadership in Uganda. Don’t listen to such people because it has taken the NRM government some good time to deliver peace and stability. ..” Brig Bekunda said.
The Political Parties and Organisations Act Section 16 says: “A member of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, Uganda Police Force, the Uganda Prisons Service….. shall not (a) be a founder, promoter or other member of a political party or organisation; (b) hold office in a political party/organisation; (c) speak in public or publish anything involving matters of political or organisation controversy; or (d) engage in canvassing support of a political party or organisation or of a candidate standing for public election...”
The UPDF Act (3) 1(a) - Composition of the Defence Forces also indicates: (1) There shall be armed forces to be known as the Uganda People’s Defence Forces ---(a) The UPDF shall be non-partisan, national character, patriotic, professional, disciplined, productive, and subordinate to civilian authority.
The UPDF 2nd Division spokesperson, Maj Charles Kabona, disassociated the army from the errant commander’s remarks. “The claims of UPDF officers involved in partisan politics shall be investigated and handled because it contravenes our Constitution,” Maj Kabona said.
This is not the first time UPDF commanders have gone against the law and the Constitution to utter partisan statements. In October last year, Brig Deus Sande, the commander of the UPDF Mechanised Brigade in Masaka District, said the army would not hand over power if President Museveni lost the January 14 elections.
The UPDF spokesperson Brig Flavia Byekwaso quickly ruled Brig Sande out of order. However, she did not say whether the army would take action against him.
About Brig Bekunda
Brig Eng Besigye Bekunda is the UPDF Chief of Engineering. He has been instrumental in the military construction projects, but has also worked with government officials on civilian projects. He led the UPDF engineers to work with a team from government to clear the floating island that threatened to block the Nalubale Hydro Power Dam in Jinja in July last year. He replaced the retired Maj Gen Sabiiti Mutebile, who retired from the army in 2019.
Brig Bekunda is also leading the UPDF engineers in the ongoing construction of the UPDF Hospital in Mbuya and the construction of the UPDF Mubende hospital that provides artificial limbs to soldiers who lose limbs during war.
