PRESIDENT MUSEVENI COMMISSIONS MARINE PIER ATSUSTAINABLE BASE IN MAYUGE

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is also the Commander In Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has today commissioned a Marine Pier at the Sustainable Base in Ntokoro, Mayuge District. “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 centres 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. “20 percent of Uganda is under fresh water, so it is good that some of it is on the borders with Tanzania, Kenya, and Congo. Therefore, it has got a lot of security implications. These boats have always had some good capacity; they are “eyes” that see some distance, but we are also planning to have “eyes” based on shore. We shall be able to have surface radars which can see in the lakes and then communicate with these boats,” he said. Gen. Museveni further urged the Marine officers to study the whole history of naval Warfare to enhance their capacity in dealing with water security matters. “When I was watching your formations, although we don't have a big ocean, it's good for you as Marine people to study the whole history of naval Warfare; how people fight on water. Your officers should know this history since you are our specialists on water matters,” President Museveni said. “There's a group which I created, the Fisheries Protection Unit. There are some sorts of stories about that unit about corruption and other claims,” the President added, before being assured by Bunya County West Member of Parliament, Hon. Aggrey Bagiire that the officers reformed, and they are now doing a good job in combating bad fishing practices on lakes. President Museveni also asserted that to ensure good governance in Uganda, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government created political power among Ugandans that would enable them to defend themselves against injustice.