- Kenyans have questioned the timing of a high-level Ugandan military visit to Nairobi for a benchmarking exercise
- The UPDF delegation met KDF officials for briefings on welfare, veterans’ support, cooperative societies, and income projects
- The team toured DEFWES facilities in Embakasi and held meetings with senior commanders,
- However, public reaction shifted due to President Yoweri Museveni’s remarks, with many Kenyans suspecting the visit carried strategic motives
Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.
Kenyans have expressed reservations after a high-ranking Ugandan military delegation toured Nairobi for what officials described as a benchmarking mission.
Source: Facebook
The visit, which involved senior commanders from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces(UPDF), came days after President Yoweri Museveni issued warnings about possible future wars linked to his nation’s access to the Indian Ocean.
Museveni warned that Africa’s political arrangements risk pushing landlocked nations into conflict in the future.
The long-serving president argued that countries without direct access to the ocean face economic and defence disadvantages.
Museveni used an analogy to explain the tension, insisting that countries located inland should hold shared rights to the ocean.
He described exclusive ownership of the ocean as madness, adding that Uganda’s lack of sea access slowed growth and made it impossible for the country to build a naval force.
Why did UPDF visit Kenya?
The delegation, led by Deputy Commander Land Force Major General Francis Takirwa, met senior Kenya Defence Forces officials at Moi Air Base in Eastleigh.
They were hosted by Brigadier Peter Limo, the Managing Director of the Defence Forces Welfare Services.
According to KDF, the discussions focused on Kenya’s model of military welfare, veterans’ care, and support structures for soldiers and their families.
Officials said the Ugandan team received detailed briefings on cooperative societies, income projects that benefit service members, and the veterans’ welfare system.
The delegation also toured the DEFWES Mall in Embakasi and inspected warehousing operations that support military families across the country.
During a courtesy call on Kenya Air Force Commander Major General Bernard Waliaula, the visitors were advised to identify practical solutions that could strengthen Uganda’s own welfare structures.
Major General Takirwa praised the KDF, stating that his team would adopt several ideas after the trip
How did Kenyans react to Ugandan army’s Nairobi visit?
While the agenda was framed as a welfare-focused visit, the broader context of Museveni’s remarks shifted public attention.
Source: UGC
The timing triggered public suspicion, with some Kenyans arguing that Uganda wanted more than technical lessons on military welfare.
Others pushed the view that Kampala sought strategic information at a sensitive moment for the region, leading to the viral claim that they want intel.
@alinory_KWENA:
“I hope they’re not posing as friends while working as spies trying to learn the enemy weaknesses and strengths?”
@l0n3n1nj4:
“This isn’t benchmarking; it’s reconnaissance. Clearly, you haven’t been paying attention to their General.”
@yourPlugAI:
“Ama sisi ndio wenda wazimu Ugandan Army benchmarking KDF after Museveni threatened us for future wars.”
@Sizzo_Gooner:
“Dude, these people are coming to see how well are you guys prepared for “Future Wars” so they can take over the Indian Ocean and you are here calling that benchmarking? Wanatupima.”
@254_Think_Tank:
“Who else is convinced they were just mapping out key installations before M7 implements his access to sea birthright he was bickering about recently.”
Does Uganda have capacity to attack Kenya?
In a related report, the Kenyan government dismissed Museveni’s threat of a possible war over access to the Indian Ocean, reaffirming its commitment to international law and regional cooperation.
According to the foreign affairs ministry’s briefing, Museveni’s comments were metaphorical and not a literal declaration of war.
Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei noted that Museveni evidently understands Kenya’s territorial rights and natural-resource obligations.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
