The Deputy Director General – Internal Security Organisation, Lt. Col. Emmy Katabazi, made remarks on Saturday 25th February 2023 during the pass-out ceremony of the maiden team of newly elected university leaders from 10 different universities across the country at the Institute of Security and Intelligence Studies, Garuga – Entebbe Municipality.
A total of 96 university leaders graduated from the Leadership and Patriotism Course that lasted for two weeks, which started from 7th February to 25th February 2023. These leaders came from different universities, including Makerere University, Islamic University in Uganda, Busitema University, Mountains of the Moon, Kabale University, Uganda Christian University, Kyambogo University, Bishop Stuart University, Uganda Catholic Management Institute, among others. The course also included students from South Sudan, Kenya, and Somalia to emphasize regional integration and the development of the East African Community.
The Director General emphasized that the students, who are already leaders in various tertiary institutions, should utilize the skills gained during their training. These skills will not only improve their contribution to society as individuals but also humanity as a whole. He emphasized that the country is moving forward, but there is still a corrupt ideology of disintegration based on nations and tribalism. He tasked them to think long-term and focus on the future of the country rather than just the present.
He also thanked the leadership of ISO and the senior officers, led by the Commandant, for offering the opportunity to train the young leaders. As a product of university leadership, Col. Katabazi emphasized that this kind of training makes people brave because if they are confident with their weapons and leadership skills, there is nothing more to fear than ensuring that peace and unity are maintained among the people they lead.
The Chief Guest, Mr. Yusuf Kiranda, the University Secretary, Makerere University, commended the administration of the ISO training team for using their facility to help young university leaders answer the fundamental questions in life – how to progress on soft skills. The University Secretary was accompanied by Mr. Peter Muhereza, a Senior Officer in the Office of the Dean of Students, Makerere University.
Mr. Kiranda disclosed that he was a guild president at Makerere University, a position that helped shape his views on the socio-political characteristics of society, and hence gave him an opportunity to lead devoid of dependency on the developed western world in preference of understanding the local society we live in. He further implored the young leaders who have been given great tools of analysis in leadership through this training to view the world as a global village ruled by two characteristics – the “scarcity of resources” and “the demand by man to have a share of the resources.” The training attained will help these young leaders to successfully negotiate for their own people to have a piece of the resources that belongs to them, hence becoming leaders of transformation.
The chief guest further stated that young people must learn not to depend on foreign powers for their survival because they are the masters of their society – they know what they need most, and self-sufficiency – economically, politically, and in securing their country – is key, not dependency on foreign entities and ideologies.
In his closing remarks, he noted that young student leaders must invest seriously in the true context of their society. Thus, he expected them to use their training in political economy to understand the transformation of their society, avoid the disruption of social order to propel development, and emphasize coordination rather than confrontation to find quick solutions to their problems during their leadership terms at various universities.
The ISIS Commandant, Major Richard Tashobya, also congratulated the leadership and patriotism course participants for having successfully become a part of ideologically guided leaders. He noted that the training will successfully neutralise the challenges of identity politics since the students were given the knowledge to filter through various political narratives.
He welcomed the idea to continue guiding young people through these strategic courses while working hand in hand with Universities across the East African Region as another way of enhancing region integration. He further noted that the Institute’s mandate is to prepare selected officers, young leaders, government officials and individuals from the private sector within the region for better leadership and management roles. This is done through a well-developed curriculum that enables strategic thinking through various tools of analysis that provide for security, stability, economic development and the founding tenets of leadership at a national level.
In closing, Major Tashobya added that the 2 weeks leadership course had 72 males and 24 females and certificates were handed over to some of the best students in various disciplines. The best in leadership – Mr Abura Godfrey and Ms Sandra Kyobutungi, the best in skills at arms – Mr Khisa Paul Emojong and Ms Patience Ainembabazi, most disciplined – Mr Raymond Sentenza and morale-boosting – Mr Kabaruli Twekambe.
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