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President Museveni commissioned a Marine Pier in Mayuge District to enhance water security. He advised Marine commanders to study naval warfare history and discussed poverty reduction strategies. He also addressed land compensation issues for the Marine barracks and highlighted the importance of extensive agriculture in Ntokoro, Mayuge District On 28^th October 2023.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) commissioned a Marine Pier at the Sustainable Base in Ntokoro, Mayuge District On 28^th October 2023.

“I congratulate the Commandant of the Marine Brigade for building this Brigade, which started as a small force and is now growing. I congratulate you for building the training centers in Butiaba, the other one near Entebbe, now you have also got this one,” Gen Museveni said.

The President explained that the Marine Brigade is very vital in ensuring security on water bodies. Uganda’s borders with Tanzania, Kenya, and the Congo are advantageous because 20% of the country is submerged beneath freshwater. As a result, there are numerous security considerations. These boats are “eyes” that can see a certain distance, and we also intend to have “eyes” stationed on land. These boats have always had some good capacity. Surface radars that can see into the lakes and then communicate with these boats will be available to us, he stated.

On the issue of creating a special program to alleviate poverty in Busoga as raised by the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, President Museveni said he will go back to the region and discuss the issue.

“I gave you my medicine for poverty in 1995 when I made a tour here. I told you people with four acres or less, I recommend the seven activities to you. Acre number one clonal coffee, second acre put fruits, acre number three put grass for zero grazing cows, acre number four put food crop and in the backyard put poultry. Those who are not Muslims and traditional Banyankore, you can also rear pigs, then fish farming for those who are near swamps. That was my medicine for the people of four acres or less. And in the Manifesto of 1996 of the NRM that is what we put there, “he said.

In order to improve the Marine commanders’ ability to handle issues pertaining to water security, Gen. Museveni further advised them to study the entirety of naval warfare history.

“Although we don’t have a large ocean, it would be beneficial for you as Marines to learn about the entire history of naval warfare and how people have fought on the water,” I said as I saw your formations. Since you are our experts on water concerns, your personnel ought to be aware of this history, stated President Museveni.

“I established a group called the Fisheries Protection Unit. The President went on, “There are a lot of stories about that unit about corruption and other claims,” but Hon. Aggrey Bagiire, the Member of Parliament for Bunya County West, reassured him that the officers had undergone reform and were now effectively preventing improper lake fishing methods.

We said that to ensure effective government and prevent stifling of the populace, you must protect yourselves by choosing your own leaders—the LC1, LC II, LC III, and LCV are your people. We choose them to protect us from anyone who may misbehave. “I also blame you that you elected wrongly,” he said, “if you say they took your money or whatever else.

President Museveni stated he will return to the area and talk about the proposal made by the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Rukia Nakadama, to establish a specific program to reduce poverty in Busoga.

“Then we said Uganda needs other products which don’t have the same high value if you do them on a small scale but if you do them on a big scale, they also give you good money, what we call extensive agriculture where maize, sugarcane, cotton and tea fall, people like Museveni who look after indigenous Ankore cattle, and tobacco like in West Nile can make money if you do them on a big scale. But now Abasoga here, you never listened to me, and you decided to go and carry out maize and sugarcane growing on a small scale. That is where the problem is. The people who have listened to us, like those in Kalangala have done well; these are people who came just, long after our programs of Operation Wealth Creation, and they are getting good income. In Masaka, people listened to our advice, and they are growing coffee more and more.”

Regarding the matter of land compensation at the location of the Marine barracks, which was once a landing point, the President stated that it is a straightforward problem that requires clarification.

Yes, the residents were lawfully residing there, but that doesn’t mean they can prevent the government from building barracks—there is a statute for that. According to the government’s assessment, they can either acquire through discussions or, in the event that you refuse to sell, the government can seize it through forced acquisition, stated President Museveni.

“I had no idea this controversy even existed. This is easy now that I know. I propose that the locals and the Marine Force Commander have a meeting and engage in negotiations. Consequently, I kindly request that we support this barracks because this place here is well selected based on a professional and scientific point of view. When I came here, I found it a very good place. Now the issue is good compensation but also give the barracks enough land because they may need slightly more than that.”

The government should supply seedlings to farmers in Busoga, as was done with the Operation Wealth Creation initiative, according to Third Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Rukia Nakadama, a Mayuge District Woman Member of Parliament.

The Parish Development Model (PDM) prohibits the inhabitants of Busoga from obtaining seedlings for the purpose of carrying out your message. Therefore, I ask that we be granted a specific intervention, such as providing our people with seedlings.

The President clarified, meanwhile, that the government developed PDM in response to public outcry about OWC members trading seedlings among themselves and overpriced but inferior seedlings.

“So, we told them that money is here, you buy the seedlings yourselves, and we calculated Shs1m as a starting point for each beneficiary.”

The Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, thanked the President for establishing the Marine Brigade as part of his long-term strategic vision for the development of this country.

“Your Excellency, as Defense and security fraternity under your leadership and headship as Commander in Chief, we thank you sincerely for consistently enhancing our capabilities under competing national priorities. You have enabled us to actively respond to threats to our national and regional security.”

The Joint Chief of Staff of UPDF, Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda, who represented the Chief of Defense Forces (CDF), Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, congratulated the Marine Brigade Commander, Brig Gen. Michael Nyarwa, and his team for their tireless efforts in building and expanding the capacity and capabilities of the Marine Brigade.

“Your Excellency, you stated in your inaugural speech on January 29, 1986, that what is happening today is a fundamental change rather than just a changing of the guard. From a military standpoint, the most significant shift, sir, was professionalizing the army to create a force that was well-trained, disciplined, and equipped,” he stated.

Today marked a major turning point in the UPDF’s unwavering dedication to building our capacity and capabilities for the successful and efficient fulfillment of the organization’s mission and constitutional mandate. This is consistent with the CDF’s strategic goal of capacity enhancement, which entails the procurement, upkeep, and restoration of our military hardware. This deliberate effort will enable the Marine Brigade to secure our waters, conduct search and rescue operations and protect high-profile targets such as wagon ferries, cargo ships, fuel tankers effectively and efficiently.”

Maj Gen. Kyanda went on to say that the UPDF leadership acknowledges President Museveni’s outstanding leadership and the tactical direction he provides for professionalizing the force and forging a solid Cadre leadership.

“Your Excellency, we are certain that this Marine base will play a vital role in providing training and support for maintaining essential assets and equipment in support of search and rescue operations as well as ensuring navigational security to promote commerce between Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.”

Brig Gen. Michael Nyarwa, the Commandant of the Marine Brigade, greeted the President and expressed gratitude for his guidance throughout their tenure.

“We can only promise sir, that we will fulfill our values, one of them is loyalty, the other one is teamwork and of course making sure that we fill the gap where it is required to support our services.”

The event was also attended by the UPDF leadership, Mayuge district leaders, religious leaders among others.