Counter terror drills end in Uganda

A multinational Command Post Exercise (CPX) dubbed “Maliza Ugaidi15” (end terrorism) ended in Uganda’s eastern town of Jinja, on Friday. The CPX, which brought together about 300 civilian military and police personnel from Burundi, Netherlands, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States, was officially closed by Uganda’s State Minister for Defence, Gen Jeje Odongo. The RDF Chief of Defense Staff, Gen Patrick Nyamvumba, attended the closing ceremony held at a military barracks in Jinja. The exercise aimed at improving the capacity of participating forces in conducting joint counter terrorism operations. The United States was co-host and sponsor of the programme. According to Brigadier General Kenneth H. Moore from the Africa Command of the United States Army, the participants at the CPX performed highly. “The participants demonstrated professionalism and exceeded my expectations,” he said in a statement issued after the drills. Odongo hailed regional military cooperation, the African Union and regional mechanisms in addressing regional problems. “Regional cooperation is a phenomenon well entrenched in the thinking and planning of African Union Peace and Security Architecture,” he said. He noted that within the security architecture, the region has developed institutions that engender regional cooperation and building capability to work together in order to address problems affecting the region. He also pointed out that within the two weeks of the Maliza Ugaidi15 CPX in Jinja, the participants gained knowledge and had the opportunity to exchange experience and build relationships that will last beyond the exercise. Patricia Mahoney, the Chargé d’Affaires at the United States Embassy in Uganda reiterated the interests of the USA in safety, security and stability of the African continent. “We care because the promotion of democratic governance that is peaceful, stable and respect human rights reflect and advance our own values as a nation. And we also care because advancing security and stability of Africa as a region is in our national interests,” she said. The director of the exercise, Brig Mathew Gureme of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), underlined that the objectives of the exercise were achieved. Within the two weeks of the exercise, participants were trained how to provide multi-echelon command and control of operations over extended distances and robust terrain, enhance partners’ capabilities to counter violent extremism, and practiced the military decision making process. They also conducted multi-echelon logistical and sustainment planning, medical and logistics capabilities in severe environments. Rwanda sent a contingent of 25 personnel led by Col Denis Rutaha.

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Counter terror drills end in Uganda