By Abraham Malinga
Communications Intern - ICPAU
Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye, the Defence Spokesperson of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has urged Ugandans to foster unity and cohesion among themselves, in order to build a strong nation.
He defined the state as the main object of security and development.
“A country must exist to create a state, because you can’t create a state in a vacuum,” he said.
“The state in turn guarantees the territorial integrity of the country, and it must have the monopoly of raising an army,” Gen. Kulayigye added.
He explained that every citizen is entitled to freedom from fear from external harm, and that the legitimacy of the state is derived from its ability to protect the citizens, and their development.
He noted that in addition to protection from physical harm, at a second level, the state has a duty to safeguard the human rights and dignity of Ugandans, and also ensure provision of social services such as safe water, electricity, sanitation, and food security, among others.
Gen Kulayigye challenged Ugandans to espouse the national values of Uganda in order to contribute to the safeguarding of these values.
“The state has national values that need to be protected, such as national unity, sovereignty, and democracy,” he said.
Regarding economic development, Gen Kulayigye defined security as the panacea for development.
“If bullets are flying, nobody will go to the garden or factory,” he said.
He further underscored the need for institutions to exist in order for the state to exercise its role of providing national security.
He noted that levying taxes, conscription, placing limitations on otherwise inviolable rights, or focusing society’s energy and resources on a specific tasks are some of the measures that need to be implemented for order and security to exist.
Gen Kulayigye also emphasised the need to ensure that the security forces are sufficiently resourced, in order to create an enabling environment for the provision of security.
To enact policies, the state must be stable or else it will be overthrown.
Gen Kulayigye was delivering a presentation on the role of national security in nation building. , at the 11th CPA Economic Forum, on 19 July 2023. Organised under the theme, National Priorities for Socio-economic Development, the CPA Economic Forum is organised by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU). The Forum is being held from 19 – 21 July 2023 at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe.
The CPA Economic Forum was introduced in 2012 to provide a platform for dialogue on matters concerning the economy. From the deliberations policy recommendations are derived, which are forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for consideration in the national budgeting processes. The policy recommendations from this Forum are intended for the 2024/25 national budgeting process which commences in September.
ICPAU president CPA Josephine Ossiya appreciated the government for the efforts towards increasing domestic revenue mobilisation, controlling public expenditure, rationalising tax exemptions, and reducing borrowing, as had been proposed during the previous economic fora.
