By KT Reporter
Brig Gen Charity Bainababo has taken over the office of the Directorate of Women Affairs in the UPDF. She replaces Col Christine Nekesa.
Speaking at the event, Maj Gen James Kinalwa, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) joint staff for human resource management, condemned acts of judging people as not capable of handling tasks before they are tested with responsibility.
Kinalwa said people should be given appointments so that they can exhibit their potential rather than being labelled as unable, yet they have been assigned the duties.
He said every system should have the means to test people’s potential by giving them responsibility. According to Maj Gen Kinalwa, human resource is only judged as capable or not capable after assigning them tasks.
“New appointments expose officers to fresh challenges, sharpen their abilities, and prevent stagnation. Human resources, like any other resource, must be discovered and tested to reveal its full potential,” Maj Gen Kinalwa said.
Brig Gen Bainababo expressed gratitude for the appointment and dedicated the moment to the women who paved the way in the UPDF.
“This moment is not mine alone. It belongs to the many courageous women who have gone before us, women who broke barriers, challenged stereotypes, and proved that excellence knows no gender,” Brig Gen Bainababo said.
The women who rise to the highest UPDF ranks, according to Brig Gen Bainababo, should be attributed to women officers who broke the ceiling, such as Lt Gen (Rtd) Proscovia Nalweyiso, who currently holds the record as the only female to ever hold the second-highest military rank in Uganda.
Brig Gen Bainababo is a star General, meaning she has three ranks ahead to attain a four-star General status (full General). Other retired women Generals Brig Gen Bainababo said should be glorified for women rising to senior and top military ranks include Brig Gen (Rtd) Rebecca Mpagi, Brig Gen (Rtd) Agnes Musoke, Col Betty Musuya and Maj (Rtd) Gertrude Njuba, noting that today’s progress rests on their legacy.
“I promise to mentor, raise standards of service, and ensure women thrive across all spheres of military service. Our mission goes beyond defending the nation. We must mentor young officers, raise standards of service, and ensure every woman in uniform thrives on the battlefield, in command, and beyond,” Brig Gen Bainababo said.
Col Nekesa stressed that these initiatives are not about giving women special treatment, but about creating an environment where all personnel can perform to their full potential.
Nekesa reaffirmed the UPDF’s commitment to international humanitarian law, the Constitution of Uganda, the UPDF Act, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, all of which uphold gender equality and women’s participation in the security sector.
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