‘Avoid Early Pregnancy’, Uganda Military Police Commander Tells Female Soldiers

The Commandant of Uganda’s Military Police Brigade, Maj Gen William Bainomugisha, has advised female soldiers to avoid early pregnancy and prioritise military courses to improve their career progression in the army.

Bainomugisha gave the advice on Thursday during the opening of a two-day seminar for female combatants at the 10 Military Police Brigade Headquarters in Makindye, Kampala.

In a statement on X by the Acting Director Defence Public Information/MA CDF-SPASO, Chris Magezi, the commander warned female personnel against avoiding military courses while expecting to remain in the Military Police.

“Be ready to exit or do Military Police courses to fit the task credentials than producing,” Bainomugisha said.

READ ALSO: US Delivers Military Equipment To Nigerian Air Force

He said career advancement in the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) requires commitment to training, citing female generals in the army as examples of personnel who rose through the ranks after undertaking several military courses.

The commander said duties handled by the Military Police, including VIP protection and prison management, require professionally trained personnel.

He therefore advised female combatants to complete four years of service before having children, particularly given the demands of military duties and career development.

The seminar, which brought together 336 female participants from various Military Police battalions and the brigade headquarters, is aimed at reviewing the performance of female personnel and assessing key tasks undertaken by them.

However, Bainomugisha noted that some female combatants could not attend the seminar because they were deployed on ongoing operations in the Kampala Metropolitan area or were undertaking military courses.

The new Brigade Administration Officer, Lt Col Solome Nalukowe, also urged the participants to make discipline a priority in their military careers.

Capt Winfred Sande, meanwhile, shared her experience of delaying pregnancy during her first four years of service, saying the decision enabled her to take advantage of military training opportunities.

“As other fellow combatants are attending military courses and participating in other military duties, you are on maternity leave,” Sande said.

She said she attended a Political Commissariat course in her first year of service and later proceeded on study leave fully supported by the UPDF.

Sande added that her discipline and commitment to training also contributed to her eventual promotion to officer rank.