UPDF 3 Division Commander Tips Platoon Commanders On Leadership And Discipline

What the report says

Brig Gen Michael Walaka Hyeroba, the commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) 3 Infantry Division, has called on officers in Platoon Commanders Course Intake 18/26 to strengthen discipline, stay physically fit and set the example for the troops they lead. According to Watchdog Uganda, he made the remarks while observing the officers during a field exercise known as Exercise Storm Karamoja.

The article says Hyeroba told the trainees that platoon command is a demanding test of leadership, especially when soldiers are tired, hungry or facing combat conditions. The guidance was delivered as part of an assessment of the officers’ performance in the field.

Colonel Santurino Mashereka Tumuranzye, the division’s operations and training officer and the exercise director, said the drill was meant to measure combat readiness and decision-making under pressure. A representative of Joint Staff Training and Doctrine, Col Mike Katongole Ssempija, also praised the instructors and trainees and emphasized the need for continuing professional development.

Watchdog Uganda reported that the course is intended to prepare junior officers to command platoons effectively in security operations in Karamoja and along the Uganda-Kenya border. The broader context is the UPDF’s ongoing training and deployment in areas where authorities have conducted pacification and disarmament efforts.