President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that at least 992 rounds of assorted ammunition and several firearms have been recovered over the past year. He made this announcement during the State of the Nation Address.
Providing an update on the country’s security situation, President Museveni noted that overall, Uganda remains calm and stable.
Since November 2024, 223 abductees have been rescued from captivity. Security forces have also recovered firearms and ammunition, including 13 submachine guns (SMGs), 3 RPG bombs, 27 MGL bombs, one grenade, and 1,020 rounds of PKM/SMG ammunition. Additionally, communication equipment, 14 improvised explosive device (IED) components, and other bomb-making materials were seized.
Museveni emphasized that both traditional and non-traditional threats to national security persist. These include terrorism, negative political activism, general and cross-border crime, as well as health and environmental risks.
While Uganda’s national borders remain largely secure, there are spillover effects from ongoing conflicts in neighboring countries such as the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, and Somalia. These effects include an influx of refugees and asylum seekers, illegal immigration, and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
“The capacity of our national security agencies—including the Uganda Police Force, Internal Security Organization, and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF)—has been enhanced to effectively combat crime and ensure the safety of all Ugandans,” Museveni said.
He also noted that the security situation in the Karamoja Sub-region has significantly improved, although some criminal activity, such as livestock theft and incursions by the Pokot and Turkana communities from Kenya, still occurs.
To curb cattle thefts carried out by some Karimojong in neighboring sub-regions such as Sebei, Teso, Lango, and Acholi, security deployments have been maintained. In eastern DRC, joint operations between the UPDF and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to yield significant results.
The President reiterated the government’s commitment to modernizing and professionalizing Uganda’s security forces by improving their welfare and enhancing collaboration between security agencies and civilians.
He highlighted the work of the UPDF Construction Brigade, which has rehabilitated schools in rural areas. Alongside the National Enterprises Corporation (NEC), the Brigade has also contributed to major infrastructure projects, including the rehabilitation of Entebbe International Airport.
