UPDF Passes Out Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Counter-IED Technicians And Combat Engineers

What the report says

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has graduated a new cohort of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (Counter-IED) technicians and combat engineers from Intake 4/2026 at the School of Combat Engineering in Kalama, according to Watchdog Uganda. The pass-out ceremony was led by Brigadier General Richard Wakinyaja, commander of the 14 Combat Engineering Brigade.

Watchdog Uganda reported that Brig Gen Wakinyaja used the event to highlight how modern conflict has increasingly moved toward asymmetric warfare, with improvised explosive devices posing a major battlefield risk. He praised the trainees for completing demanding physical and mental training and urged them to carry forward discipline, teamwork, patriotism and integrity in military service.

The article also quoted Brig Gen Peter Candia, commandant of the Mechanised Warfare College, saying combat engineers are central to military operations because they help open routes, improve troop protection and expand commanders’ options. He stressed the need for personnel to prioritize safety and survival in service. Lieutenant Colonel Jackson Akena, the acting chief instructor, said accuracy and safety matter more than speed in explosive ordnance disposal work.

Watchdog Uganda said the graduates studied explosive theory, demolitions, Counter-IED operations, tactical combat casualty care, military law, GPS navigation and field exercises. More broadly, the development reflects how armed forces in the region continue investing in specialized engineering and bomb-disposal skills as IED threats remain a concern in modern military operations.