President Yoweri Museveni has hailed the late Gen Aronda Nyakairima for being clear-headed but also disciplined throughout his life.
"Gen Aronda was among those who understood very well our ideological mission and understood our involvement in foreign missions like Somalia and South Sudan among others. He was outstanding in terms of ideology and discipline but also management skills," Museveni said.
He was speaking during the first ever Gen Aronda Nyakairima memorial lecture as Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo.
Gen Nyakairima who served as Chief of Defence Forces for the UPDF for 10 years between 20023 and 2013 died in 2015.
He has always been described by many as one of the most accomplished, finest, and effective military officers of his generation.
Speaking on Tuesday, President Museveni recollected the time Aronda joined the National Resistance Army, saying it was around 1981 when he had gone to collect weapons and by the time he returned, he found Nyakairima among those who had joined the rebels
The president who peppered his speech with jokes and examples from Africa and other countries said Gen Nyakairima would later rise to become a formidable figure in the National Resistance Army and later the UPDF.
He said that Aronda was among the group of graduate recruits who were later referred to as intellectuals during the bush war but played a key role in the transformation of the army to the current UPDF.
"Those commanders were very good. These intellectuals came in because they had better discipline to take command as we trained people like Gen Muhoozi(Kainerugaba).
"They helped us to man the intelligence departments and being political commissars, because they could read and speak English but also read documents. When we took power and combat commanders died of natural causes, this group (of Aronda) we had given training like officers basic course, in Russia and USA helped filled gaps left by deceased combat commanders and gave us time to groom other commanders to build our defence forces."
Museveni said by covering gaps that were left behind by death of senior colleagues, commanders like Gen Nyakairima helped keeping the UPDF mantle.
"Gen Aronda implemented the formula of Wazalendo which has helped soldiers. If Wazalendo has helped you, why don't you then implement other programs like construction of barracks so that soldiers don't have to stay in rented houses, army schools for soldiers' children to study free, health facilities for treatment of soldiers? Fill these gaps and the UPDF will be formidable," Museveni said.
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The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said Gen Aronda made several accomplishments for the UPDF.
"Gen Aronda is important to our history because of his significant contribution to stability and security of Uganda. It was during his leadership that as the UPDF, we defeated Lord's Resistance Army and expelled them from Uganda permanently. His role in regional peace efforts led us into being first country to deploy in Somalia in 2007," Gen Kainerugaba said.
The CDF described Gen Aronda as a man of integrity and dedicated to serving his country.
"He symbolizes commitment to national service, security and peace while his legacy serves as an example of selfless service to our country. His leadership during critical moments had an effect on outcome of conflicts and national security."
Gen Kainerugaba added, " Gen Aronda's story is a representation of many heroes in Uganda and provide example of courage, commitment and dedication and will inspire many other leaders in military and civilian spheres of life."
The first Gen Aronda Nyakairima lecture was attended by several serving and retired UPDF officers and officials from Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
