Gulu: 4th division retires 206 UPDF soldiers 

Gulu | At least 206 UPDF soldiers were retired on Saturday, October 25, at an event held at the 4th Division Headquarters in Gulu. 

There were 7 female retirees and 199 males.

There were six warrant officers of the first class, two of the second class, six staff sergeants, fifteen sergeants, and 42 corporals.

There were 31 lance corporals, 99 privates, and five others with lower ranks.

Rtd Lt. Alfred Ocaya, chairperson of military veterans for West Acholi, thanked the retired men and women who received, among other things, certificates of retirement.

He asked them to be good civilians, exemplary, and to maintain total community discipline.

Ocaya also urged now retired soldiers to remain loyal and report to zonal officers, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers, the reserve forces commander, and all local leaders in the villages where they will reside for easy identification.

“Do not go home and start getting involved in land disputes with your neighbors and relatives because you are a soldier; do not scare locals,” he warned.

He also warned them not to hide in cities or towns and engage in gambling, sports betting, or misusing the money they received as part of their retirement package.

“My concerns are with junior officers who retire; they do not report to the offices of the Resident District Commissioners; you must go and brief them.”

Ocaya also advised retired soldiers to return home “straight and start embracing government” programs such as Emyooga and Parish Development Model (PDM) in order to maintain income to support their families.

Akamba Amir, deputy Resident City Commissioner in charge of Gulu City West, stated that the community should coexist with the retired army officers and not mistreat them.

Amir emphasized the importance of showing respect to former soldiers in order to avoid igniting their negative minds.

“Do not go out and begin drinking excessively in order to become a laughing stock in the community. Stay committed to your family and do not abandon them because of retirement packages, according to the deputy RCC.

Akamba also advised community members to stop viewing army officers as enemies, stating that it is not a crime to be an army officer and serve the country.

Brig Gen Felix Busizoori, army commander of the 4th Infantry Division, warned the retired soldiers to be disciplined and exemplary while using their knowledge of security to advise locals on how to understand it without posing security threats.

“Leave alcohol at the gate, go home when you are free of alcohol, because it will consume all of your money, leaving you vulnerable to a beggar for five hundred (shs500) in the center for alcohol,” the Gen advised.

He also urged the public to welcome their own retired soldiers. “Do not start torturing or mistreating them; instead, encourage them to engage in income generation as they use their packages.”

Do not go home and start de-campaigning government programs; instead, continue to promote all projects, said the army commander.