Uganda's Special Forces Command (SFC) has passed out 214 soldiers, among them 10 women, after they completed a Commando Qualification Course, according to Nilepost. The graduation for Intake 05/25-26 took place at the Special Warfare Centre and School at Camp Rufu in Ruhengyere, Kiruhura District, and was presided over by the SFC Commander, Major General Asaph Mweteise Nyakikuru, who also declared Intake 06 open.
Nilepost reports that the course is intended to sharpen the operational capacity of the Uganda People's Defence Forces and prepare troops for emerging security challenges. The army described the graduating group as another step in building a disciplined and professional force able to take on complex assignments.
Why it matters
The ceremony puts a public figure on the SFC's training pipeline at a time when, according to its commander, the character of warfare keeps shifting. Maj Gen Nyakikuru used the event to argue that specialised instruction is not a luxury but a working part of how an army functions, and he said the force must keep funding it even while money and resources are tight.
His remarks, as carried by Nilepost, framed the course as a test of stamina, strategic judgement and the ability to operate in the field. He told the graduates to put their new skills to use and to stay ready for deployment in different environments.
"Continuous training is an arm that moves an army to make operations simple," he said.
Discipline stressed as new intake opens
The SFC commander warned the new commandos against indiscipline and complacency, asking them to keep to military professionalism, respect the chain of command and stay committed to their duties. He said the force had trained fighters to deal with Uganda's adversaries both inside and outside the country, and that the graduates would be judged on discipline, dependability and devotion to service.
Major General Paul Muhanguzi, commander of the 2 Infantry Division, tied specialised training to the UPDF's ability to protect Uganda's national interests as well as the lives and property of citizens. He gave credit to President and Commander-in-Chief General (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for continued direction on modernising the military and developing its personnel.
Muhanguzi also drew a line between security and the economy, saying a stable environment lets people work, create wealth and pay taxes that feed government revenue. He asked the soldiers to keep close ties with civilians, describing public backing as central to how an armed force performs.
"There is no force without wanainchi. We recruit from them, serve with them, and when we retire, we go back to live with wanainchi," he said.
Colonel Jimmy Mukuba Kabila, group commander of 2 Special Forces Group, said the aim of the training was to turn soldiers into specialised operators for demanding missions. He told the graduates they should prove the investment in them was worthwhile through hard work, teamwork, sacrifice and commitment.
Major Natal Vuraga Kanzo, commandant of the Special Warfare Centre and School, thanked the UPDF leadership for backing the drive towards a modern, professional army that serves the public. He urged the graduates to stay courageous, resilient and disciplined, especially when conditions in the field are hard.
Kiruhura District LC V Chairperson Dan Mukago said Camp Rufu had brought development to the district alongside the army's wider role in keeping peace and security. He described the institution as a development anchor for nearby communities, with benefits reaching past its training mission.
"In fact, Camp Rufu is not only a training school but a development pattern to our district," he said.
Mukago asked the new commandos to serve Uganda and the international community with loyalty, honour and sacrifice.
Nilepost reports that the ceremony ended with certificates and gifts handed to the best-performing students across the various training disciplines. UPDF directors of training, senior and junior officers, representatives of the Uganda Police Force, instructors and invited guests attended.
The event follows separate reporting that Maj Gen Nyakikuru commissioned infrastructure projects at Camp Rufu, underscoring the site's growing role.
What to watch is Intake 06, now formally open, and whether the SFC's push for continuous specialised training translates into the deployments its commander described.
