The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) Reserve Force is urging retired soldiers and military reservists in the Teso sub-region to take up agriculture, animal husbandry and other income-generating activities to support their families and improve their standard of living. Major General Joseph Musoke-Semwanga, the Commander of the Reserve Force, said the military was running a mobilisation campaign to assess the welfare and economic participation of former soldiers while encouraging them to join government socio-economic transformation programmes. The initiative is also intended to evaluate the operational readiness of reservists, who form an important part of Uganda's security system.
Semwanga emphasised that pension payments alone were insufficient for retired soldiers to live on in retirement, and that veterans should invest their retirement packages in productive ventures instead. He identified agriculture, animal husbandry, trade and real estate as opportunities suited to Teso's agricultural potential. The mobilisation team is providing information on financial literacy, investment opportunities and government programmes that veterans and their families could access. Semwanga also encouraged veterans to enrol their children in government-supported skilling hubs to develop practical skills and improve employment prospects. He said the initiative would ensure military families were not left behind in the country's socio-economic transformation agenda.
Beyond economic support, the exercise will assess the health and general wellbeing of former soldiers, identify those needing medical assistance and update military records to enable follow-up support. Semwanga said the Reserve Force is working with resident district commissioners, internal security agencies, police, prisons and Operation Wealth Creation to strengthen support for veterans in their communities. He noted that reservists serve as an important source of local security information because they remain in villages and have knowledge of community affairs, saying regular engagement would help strengthen community stability and national security.
Semwanga also appealed to former members who had left the Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (SACCO) to rejoin the scheme, saying it offered an alternative to exploitative informal lenders charging high interest rates. He noted that some veterans risked falling into debt traps because of rates charged by moneylenders. Family members of serving soldiers can also participate in the SACCO under its membership arrangements. Major Justin Enguau, the Teso sub-region Reserve Force commander, said his office was responsible for following up on the welfare of reservists, including those needing medical attention and assistance with outstanding payments. Enguau acknowledged that delayed payments and lack of information had caused some former soldiers to disengage from military structures and community programmes. The mobilisation exercise is expected to extend to the neighbouring Bukedi sub-region as the Reserve Force continues assessing veterans and reservists.