The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mayuge, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Forty-eight soldiers and one officer have completed a four-month Marine Basic Induction Course at the Ntokolo Maritime Sustainance Base located in Mayuge district. Initially, the course had enrolled 50 students, comprising 36 males and 14 females. Unfortunately, Private Joel Malambala passed away due to natural causes during the training, reducing the number of graduates to 49.
The curriculum covered various subjects including search and rescue techniques, international maritime law, maritime operations, small boat handling skills, political science, and first aid, among others. Lt. Emmanuel Muchunguzi, the spokesperson of the UPDF Marine, emphasized the importance of training more marine soldiers with the necessary skills to safeguard Uganda’s fragile water bodies, some of which are shared with neighboring countries.
Although the course was originally designed to span six months, it was condensed to increase training sessions to approximately three annually. This adjustment is expected to result in the training of an average of 147 students per year, significantly bolstering the workforce in the maritime sector. However, Muchunguzi noted the challenge of inadequate infrastructure, including dormitories, classrooms, and administrative blocks, which hampers the smooth operation of both instructors and trainees.
“We still lack dormitories, classrooms, and well-built administrative blocks, among other key necessities, but our points of need have been fully addressed to the UPDF leadership and we’re expectant of timely intervention,” he says. Meanwhile, Elijah Madoi, the Mayuge Resident District Commissioner, highlighted the transformation of the Ntokolo Marine area following its official revamp by President Yoweri Museveni.
Previously overrun by illegal encroachers and criminal elements, the area has now been restored to security sanity. Madoi also pointed out the positive economic impact of Ntokolo’s operationalization, noting the emergence of a thriving trading center where marine students and instructors purchase daily necessities during their stay. “Ntokolo is slowly returning to her former glory, with decent business setups being erected in the area, compared to the ram-shackled drug dealing hideouts,” he says.
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