The UPDF deputy Chief of Military Intelligence, Brig Abdul Rugumayo has reminded East African armed forces of the threat caused by terrorism to the people and economies.
“Terrorism is making the world less safe for everyone,” Brig Rugumayo told a combination of military, police, prisons and key civilian components from the EAC partner states.
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This was during the start of a joint military drills at the 12th East African Community armed forces field training pre – exercise clinic at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Center in Jinja, eastern Uganda.
The deputy chief of military intelligence in Uganda noted that failure to understand each other has led to the radicalization of some people, hence leading them to commit terrorist acts.
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Citing terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Al – Shabaab and ADF, he said all of them begin with violence which later turns into illegal immigrants, insecurity at border points and unemployment due to government heavy expenditure in combating them, as opposed to investing in infrastructure projects.
He noted that terror acts create insecurity, fear and uncertainty, lead to mass displacement and loss of property and lives, among others.
Maj Gen Don Nabasa tours the camps.
Brig Rugumayo, however, emphasized that there’s need to prevent, protect, disrupt and pursue all channels that propel terrorism, adding that this can be cautioned through joint operations like Operation Shujaa, being done by UPDF and FARDC, creating regional mechanisms like IGAD, ICGLR and EAC and sharing intelligence information.
Later, the exercise director, Maj Gen Don Nabasa visited the camps for the participants in the drills in Jinja and Buikwe and Mayuge districts.
The visit was aimed at checking the readiness and preparedness levels of the participants ahead of the official exercise opening on 3rd June 2022.
“We are checking on the progress of the development of the contingent sites of all participants, that’s why am moving with head of real life support so that if there is anything missing its fixed immediately,” said Gen Nabasa.
He also confirmed that preparations are still ongoing with participants 80% ready for the exercise.
He later visited Ivunamba Health Centre II in Budondo Sub-county Jinja District where a maternity ward is being constructed by the joint armed forces as part of the exercise Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities conducted in the exercise area.
This will be commissioned and handed over to the beneficiaries before the end of the exercise mid this month.
The forces are also constructing two class room blocks at a primary school in Mutai.
The EAC armed forces from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania started arriving in the country in Uganda on May, 27 2022 ahead of the field training exercise to be conducted in Jinja, Buikwe and Mayuge.