Brig. Gen. Gureme passes out 65 marine soldiers, urges them to safeguard lives and maintain discipline
Frank Semata 
The UPDF Marines led by the Chief of Training School Brig Gen. Mathew Gureme has passed out 65 marines at Kalangalo Marine Training School on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe.
Presiding over the pass out ceremony in Maritime Basic Induction Course, Gureme stated that the lives of all people in Uganda depend on the skills such as those attained by the graduating trainees.
“The marine brigade is entrusted with safeguarding all the water bodies in the country and the security of the people travelling on the water lies on them. In case of emergencies on the water it’s the marines. They are also responsible for the protection of VIPs,” he said.
Gen Gureme urged fresh marines to consider this as the beginning of many other courses ahead of them. He advised the marines to walk out of the school gates with their heads high; with the highest possible degree of personal integrity.
He also entreated the graduands to always maintain high moral standards and strive to always keep in top health; guarding themselves especially against HIV/AIDS and the prevailing and emerging epidemics and pandemics. He commended the marines for flying Uganda’s National Flag high both here in Uganda and in Somalia.
On his part, Brig Micheal Nyarwa the Commander Marines congratulated the graduands for finally making it to the end of such an intensive course and talked about what they had learnt.
“The trainees have been taken through an intensive training and were assessed in different fields includeing combat swimming, small boat handling skills, marine navigation, leadership training, maritime operations and tactics, boat and engine maintenance. Others were marine and fisheries laws, military law, marine communication, map using among others.
The Commandant of the school Lt Col David Turigye Kalarira reported that 70 trainees reported on 23rd May 2022 for a six-month course, 5 trainees did not make it to the end of the course for various reasons. 65 trainees, 5 of whom were female, exhibited high levels of discipline and hard work and have managed to reach their pass out date.
Pte Lwanga Thomas emerged the overall best student, Pte Kule Moses best in leadership, Pte Opito Walter best in Academics, Pte Kabenge Joseph best in swimming. Pte Okiria Jackson was the most improved trainee and Pte Chepkwurui Shedrack, the most disciplined.
