- Gloria Okwakunda was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in Uganda's Special Forces Command, earning the best-in-class honour at the ceremony
- She trained alongside President Museveni's grandson, Ruhamya Kainerugaba, who was also commissioned at the same event
- President Museveni addressed graduates at the ceremony, urging African nations to build joint defence capacity on land, air, sea, and space
A young Ugandan woman is drawing admiration across the country after being named the best graduating cadet at the Special Forces Command (SFC) commissioning ceremony held in Kampala.
Source: Twitter
Second Lieutenant Gloria Okwakunda was formally commissioned as an officer of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) at a colourful military parade that featured marching bands, saluting officers, and full ceremonial honours. Speaking at the event, she said the journey was far from simple but that her faith and determination carried her through.
"I'm very happy about attaining this rank. It hasn't been easy, but by God's grace we've made it," she said, adding that the best-in-class distinction was something she had deliberately worked towards.
"I'm really excited because I really worked for it. I'm ready to serve my country with loyalty, integrity, and all the values of the UPDF."
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What has drawn particular attention to the ceremony is the fact that Gloria trained side by side with Second Lieutenant Ruhamya Kainerugaba, the grandson of President Yoweri Museveni. Ruhamya was among the officer cadets commissioned at the same event and was pictured drawing his sword during the military parade, a traditional mark of the occasion.
The parallel achievement of a young woman from the ranks earning top honours while training alongside presidential royalty has captured the imagination of many Ugandans following the story.
Museveni Addresses Graduates
President Museveni was present at the graduation and used the platform to deliver a message about military values and continental defence strategy. He reminded the newly commissioned officers of the importance of winning the trust of the people they serve, drawing on lessons from Uganda's own guerrilla history.
"In the world, good discipline and good actions endear us to the population, as we know very well. When we were fighting in the bush, we didn't have enough weapons, but support of the people compensated for those weapons," he said.
The President also challenged the graduates to look beyond Uganda's borders, calling for deeper cooperation between African nations to build a collective defence capability.
"We need to coordinate with our brother African countries to work together so that we create capacity to defend ourselves on land, in the air, at sea, and even in space. Because that's where the war is now," Museveni added.
Watch Gloria's commissioning moment and her interview at the SFC parade:
The ceremony also doubled as a graduation for Bachelor of Defence Studies students, making it one of the larger combined military academic events Uganda has hosted in recent times.
Museveni Praises Son Gen. Muhoozi
In other news, TUKO also highlighted facts about President Yoweri Museveni’s praise for his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, over efforts to tackle corruption in Uganda’s army. The remarks came as Museveni commissioned 280 officer cadets at Kabamba Military Academy.
Museveni said corruption directly affects the welfare of soldiers, linking the fight against graft to improvements in barracks and pay. He also urged the new officers to stay disciplined, serve the public and uphold the UPDF’s values.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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